Chef Dobee Lam joined Lai Sun Dining in 2022 as the Executive Chef of SẾP, a new Vietnamese wood-fired restaurant in Central, which opened in November 2022. A multi-talented chef, Dobee’s role encompasses not just culinary leadership but also the integration of his artistic sensibilities and education in both the arts and culinary fields. He is instrumental in shaping the dining concept, developing the menu, overseeing kitchen operations, and contributing to the restaurant’s positioning, interior design, and branding.

The name SẾP means “the Boss” in Vietnamese, reflecting Chef Dobee’s vision of offering a unique dining experience for patrons in Hong Kong. He invites diners to enjoy distinctive comfort food at SẾP and to “eat like a boss.” “SẾP is fine yet casual, fun, and satisfying,” Chef Dobee explains. “I believe every dish should tell its own story for diners to savor and understand, and my food must blend perfectly in terms of flavors and textures.”

Chef Dobee’s culinary journey spans multiple continents. After completing his degree at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, he traveled extensively, enriching his culinary skills and philosophies along the way. His travels took him to Vietnam in 2017, where he immersed himself in the local food culture for seven years, exploring authentic tastes from various regions. He became captivated by the wood-fire cooking traditions of the ethnic minorities in the mountainous areas, which inspired him to introduce this fire-cooking trend to Hong Kong’s dining scene—a practice that has gained popularity in major cities worldwide in recent years.