Behind the Scenes in a Hong Kong Kitchen : Cuisine: After months of planning and days of preparation, Hong Kong’s grand Peninsula Hotel hosts an extraordinary festival of food.

It is 5 p.m., and in the spacious main kitchen of Hong Kong’s grand Peninsula Hotel there is tension and expectancy in the air. Such is the usual state of affairs in the kitchens of all great restaurants as they prepare to serve their clientele. But this is no ordinary night at the Peninsula’s well-known Verandah Grill.

Something special is occurring. The usual offerings and specialties of the Verandah Grill will give way this night and for the following 11 days to dishes inspired by recipes from my “East Meets West Cuisine” cookbook.

Executive chef Erich Schali accompanies me as we make the final rounds of the kitchen. We taste sauces, make sure there is enough of everything, give last-minute instructions, answer questions and check the reservation book to see if there are any special guests and requests.

The executive sous-chef, Edwin Chan Hon Kuen, constitutes our “fail-safe” system. Everything that Schali and I do, Chan observes and makes notes on. He then supervises the details for the last-minute preparations, making sure that the staff has all the necessary ingredients and implements ready at hand.

His role will be most crucial when the rush begins. He will be the platoon leader in direct contact with the busy cooks, assistants and waiters essential for the evening’s success. He will also serve as the main traffic director, establishing the priority of the orders, making sure they proceed correctly and smoothly so that the guests are aware only that their wishes have been delightfully and expeditiously realized.

Just before 8 p.m., the orders begin pouring in at a pace that will not let up for hours. “New orders for the Verandah Grill . . . three set menus . . . four a la carte orders, starting with appetizers, the lamb medium-rare--be sure to check it carefully before plating it . . . .”

“Do we have enough to get this order out right away?” asks Chan, using his microphone. The kitchen is so extensive and the action so intense that the unaided human voice would be lost in the place.

There is such a whirl of activity that an outsider might think it quite chaotic. Yet every chef hears his order clearly and works up his assigned dish quickly and expertly. The cold kitchen takes care of the salads, cold appetizers and soups. The deep-fryers sizzle, while the range sends high flames leaping against the sides of the saute pans. Everyone moves deftly and gracefully, like ballet dancers, as if the whole routine was nicely choreographed.

Schali supervises the kitchen activity with a reassuring calmness. I think he is totally unflappable. No food leaves the kitchen without his imprimatur. He stands at the large stainless-steel table where the prepared dishes are assembled to be taken by the waiters, carefully checking garnishes, temperatures, sauces, appearance and doneness.

In the meantime, Chan is caught up in his duties, directing traffic, ensuring that all is in order and seeing to it that dishes finally are covered by hot, heavy silver cloches to keep the food hot on the way to the diners’ tables. Occasionally, a waiter picks up the wrong dish but Chan immediately spots the error and restores order.

Preparations for the event took much time, with faxes flying back and forth for months. I arrived in Hong Kong four days before opening night and immediately put on my chef’s uniform. Schali had a brilliant idea. He not only followed me through the making of each dish, making suggestions for garnishes and offering other helpful hints, but he also photographed the final result, capturing the appearance of our goal.

Ingredients were meticulously listed--in both Chinese and English--to ensure uniformity of taste, texture and color. Each chef was given his own copy and photographs. These provided an essential reference point, especially important since many of the dishes were quite different from what the staff had normally been cooking.

Still, on the first night I couldn’t help but be caught up in the frenzy. “This is a VIP order. They want their lamb with extra sauce--see to it,” Chan orders. Schali takes a close look at the salmon dish and taps it with a spoon. He turns it back. “Not cooked enough; re-do it immediately.” And then he takes the time to explain to the waiter that it is better to have the patron wait a bit than to serve improperly cooked food.

Schali now moves to the cold-kitchen area to make sure that the salads are perfectly dressed. Nothing seems to escape his eye. I become aware of a problem in the vegetable section. The vegetables are not ready when the saute chefs have finished the meat and fish dishes. Manpower must be diverted so that Poon, the head saute chef, does not suffer apoplexy as his staff is forced to wait for vegetables.

“This sauce is not rich enough,” complains one of the chefs. An assistant rushes over with chicken jelly--rich thick essence of chicken stock made from scratch--and cuts a piece into the pan. “Ah, that is perfect,” says Schali as he passes by.

It is now about 9:30 p.m. The orders finally begin to slow down. The high tide is past. I find that I am soaked to the skin. A kitchen such as this, on a night like this, is like being in a sauna with your clothes on.

But the dining room is peaceful and relaxed, quietly humming with murmurs of contentment and satisfaction.

SUMMER PEPPER STIR-FRY

1 ounce Chinese dried mushrooms

2 eggs, beaten

3 teaspoons sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons peanut oil

3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions

1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger root

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 small fresh chile, seeded and finely shredded

1/2 pound sweet red, yellow and green peppers (about 1 each)

2 teaspoons rice wine or dry Sherry

1 teaspoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/4 pound bean sprouts (preferably trimmed on both ends)

Soak dried mushrooms in warm water 20 minutes or until tender. Squeeze out excess water and remove hard stems. Shred mushroom caps and set aside.

Mix together eggs with 1 teaspoon sesame oil and salt in small bowl. Heat skillet or wok over moderate heat and add 2 teaspoons peanut oil. Add egg mixture and spread over surface of pan until it forms thin crepe-like pancake. Remove from heat and cool. Slice egg pancake into thin shreds and set aside.

Heat wok or large skillet over high heat and add remaining peanut oil. Add 1 tablespoon green onions, ginger root, garlic and chile and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add peppers, mushrooms, rice wine, soy sauce and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir-fry 2 minutes until peppers are tender-crisp. Add bean sprouts and egg shreds and stir-fry gently another 2 minutes, then add remaining 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Remove mixture to serving platter and garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons green onions. Serve at once. Makes 2 to 4 servings.

MARINATED CHINESE-FLAVORED HALIBUT

4 (8-ounce) halibut steaks

3 tablespoons finely chopped ginger root

6 tablespoons finely chopped green onions

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine or dry Sherry

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Place halibut steaks on platter.

Puree ginger root, green onions, soy sauces, wine and sesame oil in blender and spread mixture evenly over halibut. Allow to marinate 2 hours in refrigerator or 1 hour at room temperature.

About 40 minutes before cooking, prepare charcoal fire if using coals. When coals are ash white, grill halibut 5 to 8 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

BARBECUED PORK SPARERIBS IN TANGY SAUCE

3 1/2 pounds pork ribs

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Tangy Barbecue Sauce

Season pork ribs to taste with salt and pepper and place in shallow baking dish. Bake at 250 degrees 2 hours to render fat and tenderize meat. Remove ribs from dish, drain off fat and set ribs aside.

When ready to cook, spread Tangy Barbecue Sauce over ribs. Grill ribs over hot ash-white coals, basting with remaining sauce, 5 to 10 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Tangy Barbecue Sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions

1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger root

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chiles

2 tablespoons rice wine or dry Sherry

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons Chinese chili bean sauce or 2 teaspoons satay paste

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon Chinese white-rice vinegar or cider vinegar

1/2 cup orange juice

1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat wok or large skillet and add peanut oil. Quickly add shallots, green onions, ginger and garlic. Stir-fry 20 seconds and add cilantro, chiles, wine, hoisin sauce, sugar, sesame oil, orange zest, chili bean sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, orange juice, soy sauces, salt and pepper.

Reduce heat and simmer gently 15 minutes. Allow sauce to cool. (These steps can be done hours ahead or even night before.)

GRILLED CORN IN SOY SAUCE BUTTER

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon roasted and finely ground Sichuan peppercorns

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chiles

Salt

8 ears sweet corn, shucked

Combine butter, soy sauce, peppercorns, chiles and salt to taste in small pan.

Baste corn with soy butter and grill over hot coals 5 to 8 minutes, turning frequently until done. Serve at once. Makes 4 servings.

STEAMED PEARS

4 firm pears

3 tablespoons sugar, preferably Chinese rock sugar

1/3 cup water

2 pieces Chinese cinnamon bark or cinnamon sticks

Peel pears and cut each in half. Remove core and seeds. Combine sugar and water in small pan and boil until sugar has completely dissolved. Allow it to cool slightly.

Place pears, sugar-water and cinnamon in shallow bowl. Set up steamer or set rack into wok or pan. Add about 2 inches water and bring to boil. Set bowl of pears in steamer or on rack. Reduce heat to simmer. Cover wok tightly with lid and slowly steam pears 15 to 25 minutes, or until tender. (Cooking time will depend on ripeness of pears.)

When pears are cooked, drain liquid and cinnamon into small saucepan and reduce liquid to syrup by boiling fast. Remove and discard cinnamon. Pour syrup over pears and serve at once. Or let mixture cool and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to serve. Makes 4 servings.