Michelin-starred Kai Mayfair has infused rich Chinese cooking tradition with the innovative energy of its home city, London, for nearly 30 years. With the opening of Kai’s Songbird, this creativity takes flight for the first time, bringing a new
ABOUT US
Michelin-starred Kai Mayfair has infused rich Chinese cooking tradition with the innovative energy of its home city, London, for nearly 30 years. With the opening of Kai’s Songbird, this creativity takes flight for the first time, bringing a new culinary song to Doha.
On the ground floor of the Corinthia Yacht Club, Kai’s Songbird calls to a new audience of songbirds — guests who come to sing their own stories in this unique space. Menus of liberated Nanyang cooking combine heritage and bold creativity, redefining modern Chinese cuisine.
And the sensory journey continues through verdant, natural surroundings, where conversation and connection become the chorus of life — amid the smell of fresh herbs and sounds of dishes being served and shared.
Good food and stories are the golden threads that connect us in life. At Kai’s Songbird you’ll find a unique dining destination in which to share both — an oasis where inspiration is ignited, and memories made.
OUR STORY
We have always wanted to tell stories and cook wonderful food. For us, a meal is always more than just its ingredients; whether the spice that lights the touchpaper of memory or the sizzle of the pan that echoes excited chatter around the table. Dining well is rooted in our culture, but the traditional confines of Chinese cooking itself left little to explore.
When we opened Kai in London’s Mayfair our vision was to liberate Nanyang cuisine to new heights, combining our culinary heritage with the city’s cosmopolitan energy and verve. The result was an authentic, yet free cooking style that has redefined modern Chinese cuisine. We were proud to be awarded a Michelin star in 2009, which we have retained for over 14 years — and we enjoy a clientele that returns time and again for the familiarity of excellence and the excitement of innovation.
In looking to create a sister restaurant, the forward-facing energy of Doha seemed a natural location for us. Opening Kai’s Songbird marks a new chapter for our vision — a page to turn that allows us to tell our epicurean stories to a new audience and bring the unique personality of the Kai family to The Pearl, Doha’s most exclusive destination.
With a passion to show the fine dining provenance of Asian food ex-Olympian Bernard Yeoh and his wife Eileen created London icon and Michelin starred restaurant, Kai of Mayfair in 1993. In pushing the boundaries of Chinese cooking, blending authenticity with confident creativity, the couple sit at the forefront of modern Asian cookery and its possibilities. Bringing Kai’s Songbird to Doha continues to blend cultures to create the exceptional and the unexpected, both on the plate and in the dining room, and an exclusive new culinary experience for the state.
For Malaysian Chinese Chef Foong Wai Loong, the most important ingredients in a kitchen are imagination and creativity. Having honed his love of fusion cuisine over a 20-year career in which he has held Executive Chef positions at some of the world’s top hotels, he has been named Asian Cuisine Chef of the Year twice at the World Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence. His love of combining local and global flavours in surprising and exciting ways makes him the perfect fit for the newest Kai family member as the Songbird takes flight from London to Doha — and an exciting talent to lead the ethos and evolution of this special restaurant.
