May Chow may be the most controversial — and visible — chef in Hong Kong: an acclaimed female restaurateur who is also a symbol of change for women and the LGBTQ community in greater China. But it seems she is just getting started. “I love to visit schools and show women that they can be head chefs, too,” says Chow, 35, owner-creator of the Soho district restaurants Little Bao and Happy Paradise, which explore Chinese flavors in contemporary guises and playful settings, as well as a beer bar and a Bangkok outlet. “During COVID, I conducted a lot of classes on Zoom, and that’s triggered in me the idea that my career won’t just be within a restaurant, but sharing my story with people far away,” Chow says, adding: “I don’t want to consider myself a symbol but I do want women to be empowered, to have a voice and to get whatever work they want in their life.”