His boss admits he took a chance employing this offbeat culinary genius, but quickly adds that the gamble paid off handsomely. Wang Kaihao talks to a street-smart Hong Kong chef in Hohhot who admits he draws inspiration from Japanese manga.

In the intensely competitive world of hotel food and beverage sales, most general managers must be on their toes and on a constant lookout for talent in the kitchen. Sometimes, these come in unexpected packages.

At the Shangri-La Hohhot in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, one hotel boss took a huge risk, crossed his fingers and waited to see what the results would be. He scored.