American painter Bob Ross was fond of quipping, “We don’t make mistakes; we have happy accidents.” Our “happy accident” this week is that food and nostalgia, serendipitously, became recurring themes, threading this issue’s stories into a layered journey that traverses not only land and sea, but also time, to arrive at the table.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet laboured under the weight of “to be, or not to be”, but when it comes to food, the most important philosophical question is: do you live to eat, or eat to live?

For some, the answer comes easy. Hei Kiu Au’s colourful portrait of Peter Kam – the “fish aficionado” whose passion for sourcing and supplying the freshest catch allows the chefs of many Michelin-star restaurants in Hong Kong to do what they do best – reminds me of the Finding Nemo line, but with one critical change: “Fish are friends, and food.” But no need for me to tell you that. According to the conservation body WWF, Hongkongers consume roughly 65kg of seafood per person per year – three times the global average. It’s almost like we’re out to wage (culinary) war on shrimp, crabs and all things marine life.

Bounties of the ocean are also a feature at Yudao in Tainan. At Nick Yang’s hyperlocal restaurant, designed to narrate history through food, Mavis Teo discovers that each plate showcases a little-known chapter of indigenous diversity.

Food is the way to someone’s heart, but it is also the way to understanding identity and culture. One of the most characterful cornerstones of local dining – the humble cha chaan teng – is riding a renewed wave of popularity spurred on by social media and a longing for simpler times. Charlotte Shore picks apart the trend to reveal how a younger generation’s sentimental appetite is driving widespread craving for the distinctive “tea restaurant”.

Closer to home, Hongkongers can soon expect theatre royalty to grace us with their presence. Patti LuPone, the American actor and singer who rose to fame for her mighty set of pipes as much as for her refreshingly frank personality, is set to headline the WestK Cabaret Festival on June 3, marking her first-ever performance in the city. She looks back on her life through a musical lens, in a face-to-face chat with managing editor David Ho, and explains why the “diva” label is not for her.