Everlasting Wonder: A night in Florence with the First Initiative Foundation

Can’t fly to Italy? No problem. Michelle Ong, founder of the First Initiative Foundation, the Consul General of Italy and the Chinese-Italian Cultural Society have banded together to bring Italy to us, in Hong Kong in November.

The gala dinner saw a night of revelry that would’ve made Bacchus proud. Treated to a night of “all things Italian” guests were first invited to peruse the exhibition, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Botticelli and His Times – Masterworks from the Uffizi at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. 42 paintings from the Uffizi Galleries in Florence were brought over to Hong Kong especially for this occasion including 10 pieces by Sandro Botticelli, one of Italy’s most revered Renaissance masters.

Dinner tables were set across two floors of the museum so guests didn’t have far to go and upon seating, dishes prepared by three-star Michelin chef Umberto Bombana of 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana and Italian wines curated by Sarah Heller, were brought out by waiters dress as Italian cardinals. The meal ended on a sweet note with a delicious sculptural creation “Renaissance Fruit Basket” prepared by Chef Smita Grosse and the Grand Hyatt team.

One of the most talked about events of the year, the evening saw a number of Hong Kong’s most feted members of society and some of our #legend100 among the beautifully adorned, “bling-bling masked” crowd.

Amanda Cheung, managing director of First Initiative Foundation, her brother Adrian Cheung and sister Jennifer Cheung all dressed to impress.

Stylist and #legend100 influencer Faye Tsui attended the event in Ferragamo and topped off her outfit with Bulgari jewels, in keeping with the evening’s Italian inspiration

Feng Shui master Thierry Chow came dressed in a stunning Emilio Pucci cape with gold embroidery and dazzled in her event-mandated bling bling mask

Miriam Yeung, sang for an entranced crowd in between courses, dressed in a sculptural dress by Toni Maticevski

#legend100 influencer Noel Li also attended the evening in a smart tuxedo by Ferragamo with jewels and watches from Bulgari

Learn more at fif.org.hk