For Maximal Concepts co-founders Malcolm Wood and Matt Reid, the sustainability-driven dim sum restaurant is the culmination of the group’s evolution

Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
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Descending upon John Anthony via its coral-tiled backlit vertical staircase feels much like traipsing through a time-travelling tunnel.

Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
A series of arched spaces clad in hand glazed tiles, hand woven rattan and formica laminate table tops allow for intimate dining

It’s one that whisks you back to 18th-century England, where the cross-cultural pioneer and the restaurant’s namesake became the first Chinese national to gain British citizenship, and simultaneously propels you into a mindful future where eco-consciousness becomes an all-encompassing concept. 

Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
Matt Reid (left) and Malcolm Wood (right) founded Maximal Concepts alongside third partner, Xuan Mu, nine years ago

“John was forward-thinking for his time. And if you’re forward-thinking for our time – we have one world; there is no backup,” says Matt Reid, who founded Maximal Concepts alongside partners Malcolm Wood (with whom he shares 20 years of friendship and a markedly similar sense of humour) and Xuan Mu back in 2011.

Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
Reclaimed tiles and colourful wallcoverings decorate the reception area

Together, they have some 25 brands under the award-winning restaurant group’s umbrella, including the lauded Mott 32, and this contemporary Cantonese grill and dim sum concept, which opened last year. “I describe this as an evolution of the group; we took everything we learned about sustainability over our last nine years and put it into this,” adds Malcolm. “It was our hardest opening and it stressed our team out more than any other opening we’ve done.”

Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
Matt and Malcolm pictured in front of the restaurant’s zero-waste bar, which houses over 350 types of gin
Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
The sun-dried tomato gin and tonic is Matt’s favourite drink, and the only classic available on the new cocktail menu; it is infused with rosemary, bay leaf and juniper

A look through the 7,000sqft space in the basement of Lee Garden Three, designed alongside Shanghai-based architectural firm Linehouse, reveals why. Stunningly detailed, every corner is conceived to evoke the historic figure’s illustrious voyage from East to West, with the message of sustainability interlaced into every aspect. 

Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
A private dining room features large scale illustrations of flora and fauna – commodities traded between the British and Chinese in the 18th century
Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
Matt and Malcolm photographed in the restaurant's main dining hall

“We are the first Chinese restaurant that focuses on sustainability as a whole, from food to waste, and from building to design,” says Malcolm, gesturing to menus and coasters made from upcycled plastic and paper, as we sit down within a main dining hall reminiscent of an industrial storehouse. Framed by striking backlit arched ceilings, it’s decorated with natural hand-dyed indigo sails (“sourced from a local factory in Lantau”), sustainable rattan furnishings, eco-painted walls and reclaimed terracotta floor tiles. Towering over it is the city’s largest gin collection, housed atop a bamboo-lined zero-waste bar (“We do the composting right here”) where a collection of vertical tubes are filled with gin infused with botanicals found along the Spice Routes. 

Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
The restaurant is adorned in materials John Anthony encountered on his journey

More storied intricacies unfold as you wander into the surrounding pockets of private dining spaces, each imbued with their own unique character and materiality inspired by John Anthony’s journey. “The idea is that you can come back to the restaurant 10 times, sit at 10 different spaces and have 10 different experiences,” says Malcolm. Over in the glass-framed open kitchen, a custom stone brick tandoori oven harkens to the meat-roasting methods in old-time India and China near the Himalaya mountain ranges.

Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
Custom laminate in green, mustard, and turquoise frame the bathroom, with references to the spice trade illustrated on the wallcoverings; recycled plastic tubes line the ceiling of the bathroom stalls
Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
The duo met in university in October 1999 and have been friends for exactly 20 years; this is the first photoshoot they have done together

Much like the trailblazing spirit of John Anthony, Matt and Malcolm’s success has largely been driven by their unwavering desire to disrupt boundaries and make positive changes. “We’ve always tried to centre our restaurants on what we believe in,” says Malcolm of the group’s ethos, rooted in nose-to-tail dining, eliminating waste and ethical sourcing.

Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
The Szechuan pan seared Australian scallops with cucumber salad
Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
The Australian wagyu beef char sir with shredded scallion sauce; the black Angus beef tenderloin ma po tofu

The philosophy also translates into their view on business. “If you’re not embracing and looking for change, you’re already behind,” summarises Matt. “One thing at Maximal is that we redefine profit. What impact are we making? What influence are we creating? Are we making it better for our surrounding neighbours and society?” He gestures to the group’s business cards, which depict an upended cityscape. “As a company, we want to inspire everyone to share that vision, because otherwise we’re just getting up every day and going to work. It’s the concept of inheritance and legacy; you can’t leave money behind, but you can create ripples of change. To us, that is a profitable enterprise.” 

Maximum Impact: The Past and Present Interweave at John Anthony
The dim sum and grill restaurant offers Cantonese fare with a creative, contemporary twist

To mark Home Journal’s 39th anniversary, Malcolm and Matt handpick their favourite dish and drink from the menu to celebrate with our readers:

Applewood Roasted Peking duck
“It’s on the new menu; it’s something we researched a lot on. We tried like 119 different farms before we found the right ones in different locations. It’s a celebratory dish, it’s for sharing and is glamourous. Three courses can be made from the duck; no product is wasted,” says Malcolm.

Sun-dried Tomato Gin and Tonic
“It’s a classic on the restaurant’s cocktail list. Sun-drying is a technique that ensures you don’t just throw away food – it’s an old technique of sustainability. We do our own composting here at our zero-waste bar. I think it’s a surprise worth trying,” says Matt.

Photography: Sunfai Ng

See also: A World of Its Own at Naladhu Private Island Maldives

Tags: johnanthonymaximalconceptsmalcolmwoodmattreiddimsumleegarden3leegarden
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