The year has been a whirlwind. Less than a week in, 2022 kicked off with months filled of uncertainty. Where our community banded together to push through what we all hope is the last of these challenging dinner-less, closed door months. Despite ongoing lockdowns and restrictions, our work never stopped.

As the months went on, grit, determination and a little bit of luck brought us into brighter times, days and nights filled with hope and dining rooms that were vibrant and thrumming with a long-awaited energy. As we prepare to welcome in a new year, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what has been both an exciting and challenging 2022.

The past twelve months were filled with milestone achievements within our community, the culmination of ten years of carving out a path in such a vast, dynamic and ever-changing scene. 2022 marked ten years of Black Sheep – a decade of bearing the flag as Hong Kong’s most compelling hospitality movement.

In a momentous milestone for our team, The Magistracy, one of the hundred declared monuments in Hong Kong, was given new life after lying dormant for over 40 years. The opening of its first two dining destinations Magistracy Dining Room and Botanical Garden, marks the beginning of the multi-phase project, one of which is set to reshape this piece of Hong Kong’s history. We are honoured to be bringing this piece of history back to life with thoughtful, world class storytelling and hospitality in one of the city’s handful of heritage restaurant sites.

The summer was one to remember with the kick-off of our 10th Anniversary celebrations. The line-up of surprises and special events was our most ambitious to date. Our campaign was larger and more comprehensive than anything we had done before. We sang our song loud and proud for all to hear, see, and be a part of.

The year culminated in the first-ever Black Sheep Gala. An evening that was not only a testament to our perseverance and uncompromising pursuit of excellence, but it was also a celebration of the industry we endeavoured to define and the people, our community, that helped drive us towards what once seemed like an unachievable dream. That night we shared a toast in honour of Hong Kong and made our commitment to being part of the city’s future, weaving into its story for years to come.

Not only did we see the return of the hospitality we love, but we were able for the first time in years, to travel. The return of Research Trips saw Asim and key members of the leadership team travel to London, Napoli and Florence, soaking up the culture and history of the city streets in the hope of bringing these stories to life in our community.

What’s more, our return to Switzerland for the annual Recruitment Trip means we will see our largest contingent of interns to date join us in the new year. We are building the future of hospitality, sharing the magic of Black Sheep hospitality with the rest of the world and the hospitality leaders of tomorrow, our roots firmly planted in the city we call home: Hong Kong.

Once again, we started to see signs of normality with the return of our favourite community events, like Dragon Boat and the annual Dodgeball Tournament. Being able to get together under one roof to play hard and have fun is one of the highlights of our year.

What’s more, after two years in the making, the opening of the Team Canteen was a special moment for us. Our song has always been about looking after those within our world, serving each other before serving anyone else, and creating a nurturing and supportive community. Located in the heart of SoHo and where our story began, creating a dedicated space for our team members to gather and break bread has become more, and meant more, than we ever imagined. It has since taken on its own identity and evolved into a setting for generating new ideas, group training, chef R&D, a social hub, and so much more. Team Canteen has become another cornerstone in the Black Sheep world, one our community will stand on for many years to come.

While the milestone achievements of the past year and the return of our ability to celebrate as a community were highlights, we never stopped challenging ourselves or driving the future of our city forward. New openings continued, the arrival of Grand Majestic Sichuan kicked things off with a fiery bang; Butter moved from strength to strength with its new home in K11 MUSEA, and Messina debuted in Central’s shopping mecca, LANDMARK.

We have persevered as a city and have much to be proud of. We have continued and will continue to move forward in the face of adversity. But what we are most hopeful about, is that the last year has taught us the importance of working with joy, of playing just as hard as you work, and about living in celebration of the people around you. We bid farewell to 2022 with joy in our hearts and renewed vigour to make next year bigger and better than any that have come before. Thank you for being part of our story and making 2022 one for the books.

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Looking for last minute New Year’s Eve plans? Visit All We Want For The Holidays for everything we have going on.

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