A Citron Rendezvous on the French Riviera: Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou Presents a Lemon Inspired Seasonal Menu

Drawing on the bright freshness of citrus, a seasonal culinary offering is now featured at Catch, the contemporary French restaurant perched on the 100th floor of Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou. Inspired by the flavours of the South of France, the limited-time menu highlights lemon in its many expressions and is available through early May.

The menu draws its creative spirit from the Lemon Festival of Menton. For nearly a century, Menton has celebrated its golden harvest each February, building sculptures from hundreds of tonnes of lemons and citrus fruits, a vibrant ode to abundance, joy and the art of living. Catch Chef de Cuisine, Liven, channels this same spirit of unrestrained pleasure, and the menu is an invitation to follow the scent of citrus, feel the gentle Mediterranean breeze and bask in the warmth of its golden hues.

Chef Liven works with a symphony of citrus varieties sourced from Guangdong and Hainan, each contributing a different note that evokes the South of France. The journey commences with a lemon welcome drink served within a hollowed-out lime, awakening the palate for the meal to come. Delicate New Zealand scampi is accompanied by an ethereal lime foam made from a chicken broth infused with lime zest, leaving only a trace of fragrance on the tongue. Served alongside are kumquats that have been pickled for over 24 hours in vinegar and thyme, offering a complex burst of sweet and sour.

Inspired by Thai cuisine, Coconut Chicken Broth with Black Truffle Chicken Ball and Lime Leaf is a testament to balance. Chef Liven simmers chicken with lemongrass, lime leaf and tomato for six hours, yielding a clear, sun-coloured broth. The first sip is subtly sour and spicy, the result of repeatedly refining the citrus‑to‑spice ratio in search of a precise point of refreshing equilibrium.

Australian M9 Beef Strip Loin served with Salted Preserved Lemon and Shacha Sauce is an East–West dialogue. The half-moon salted lemon, tempered with sweet, candied lemon, offers a mellow, sweet-savoury depth, while the Shacha sauce, enriched with beef jus, introduces the soul of Chaoshan cuisine. The beef, first seared then roasted, develops a caramelised crust that locks in its tender, juicy centre. The precision of French gastronomy meets the vibrant fire of a Chaoshan kitchen, creating a compelling cross-cultural conversation.

For a touch of interactive theatre, guests may select their preferred lemon variety for Lemon Stropino, paired with Grilled Cod with Kaluga Queen Caviar. The chef will transform the selected lemon into a refreshing granita, highlighting the subtle nuances between each citrus variety.

The sweetest finale comes in the form of a whole, candied yellow lemon. Chef Liven hollows out the fruit, then gently simmers the rind in syrup until it sheds its bitterness and becomes tender. The shell is then filled with a delicate citrus mousse and lemon curd, set atop a crisp, lemon‑infused base.

This lemon-themed menu is Chef Liven’s canvas, a South of France landscape brought to life through a curiosity for flavour. From Menton’s festival to Guangdong’s citrus, each exploration finds its way into this refreshing expression of lemon. Available for a limited time until early May, the main course may also be upgraded to Catch’s signature Dry-aged Beef Tenderloin Wellington, offering a final opportunity to savour this bright, fleeting taste of the French Riviera.

For more information and reservation, visit the website or contact +86 (20) 8883 3366