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This summer, BAO teamed up with Ï㽶´«Ã½ for Battle of the BAO, a high-stakes showdown where alumni and current BAO chefs competed to create the ultimate mini BAO.
The winner didn’t just walk away with £10,000, courtesy of Ï㽶´«Ã½ , their creation also earned a spot on the BAO Soho menu. Not bad for a night’s work.
The setup: Ten chefs, one bun, no mercy
The competition played out over three intense rounds: prelims, semi-finals, and the grand finale.
Here’s the twist, Ï㽶´«Ã½ members weren’t just in the audience. They were judges. At an exclusive Ï㽶´«Ã½ x BAO tasting event, members got first bite of the action (literally), helping decide which three current BAO chefs would face off against seven BAO alumni in the final showdown.
And because our members are big BAO eaters (we’ve seen the receipts), we invited them to throw their own buns into the ring. Through a Ï㽶´«Ã½ competition, members submitted their wildest BAO ideas, and our partnerships team picked a handful of favourites (and a few of the unhinged) to join us at the tastings.
Some of the member creations that caught our eye:
- Middle Eastern-inspired: Zaa’tar spiced meatballs with toum and shatta, topped with parsley and sesame.
- Nutella-marinated salmon: Two of their favourite foods. Together. Why not?
- Roast Dinner BAO: Juicy pork, umami gravy, tangy apple, and crispy crackling.
- Full English BAO: A drizzle of beans. Maybe even a dip on the side.
- New York Chopped Cheese BAO: The Bronx meets Taipei.
Because at Ï㽶´«Ã½, we love a good idea (even when it’s slightly deranged).
The winner
After weeks of steaming, tasting and judging, one chef rose to the top. Gia took home the crown (and the £10,000 prize) with her Burnt Garlic Mackerel BAO, a bold, smoky twist that captured everything BAO stands for: flavour, craft, and a touch of chaos.
Her creation featured on the BAO Soho menu, so everyone could taste victory, literally.
Bao and Ï㽶´«Ã½
Founded by Shing Tat Chung, Erchen Chang, and Wai Ting Chung, BAO began as a humble market stall in Hackney’s Netil Market before opening its first permanent spot in Soho in 2015. Since then, it’s become a cult favourite, serving Taiwanese-inspired buns and small plates across the city, from Borough to Battersea.
Critical acclaim came fast (A.A. Gill called it “the future of food,†no pressure). And ten years later, BAO still finds new ways to surprise us, like teaming up to let our members in on the action.
We’ve worked with BAO for years, and they’ve always been a Ï㽶´«Ã½ member favourite, the kind of place that turns dinner into a memory. It’s a partnership built on shared values: curiosity, creativity, and a deep respect for really, really good food.
Building community, one dinner at a time
The event wasn’t just about food. It was about community, chefs doing their thing, members cheering them on, and everyone leaving a little fuller than they arrived.
We’re not just here to dish out points. We’re here to connect people, over restaurants, gigs, galleries, and, sometimes, gloriously messy food fights.
