Assistant Professor
Department of Hospitality and Business Management
Contact details
Email: vicky_ty_leung@thei.edu.hk
Phone: +852 3890 8172
Dr. Vicky Leung serves as the Assistant Professor and Programme Leader at the Department of Hospitality and Business Management at THEi. With a culinary background, Vicky cherishes her strong ties to the professional world, drawing from her foundational experiences in the culinary sector. She currently holds a role as a committee member for the Education and Sustainability Committee at The World Association of Chef Societies.
She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Beginning her career in the kitchen of the one-starred Michelin restaurant, Mandarin Grill and Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, she later returned to pursue a part-time Master’s degree in international hospitality management. Concurrently, she assumed the positions of chairwoman of the Hong Kong Young Chefs Club, committee member of the Hong Kong Chefs Association, and a young chef ambassador for the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (Worldchefs) comprising members from over 100 countries.
Engaging in research collaborations with various industrial partners and educational institutions, Vicky focuses on social science and applied research. She actively supervises students on final year projects and guides them—encouraging participation in competitions and startup ventures. Noteworthy among their projects is "U-treats," stemming from research at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Food By-products Utilization (CIFU), which repurposes food by-products from licensed factories into nutritious pet snacks.
Driven by her passion, Dr. Leung’s research interests primarily revolve around chefs' creative behaviors, recipe development, kitchen management, and human resource management within the hospitality and catering industries.
TEACHING AREAS
TEACHING AREAS
- Culinary Arts
- International Cuisines
- Research Methods
- Applied Research
- Work-Integrated Learning
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
| 2019 | Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Hotel and Tourism Management School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM), Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| 2016 | Master of Science (MSc) in International Hospitality Management SHTM, Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| 2012 | Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Hotel Management SHTM, Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| 2010 | Higher Diploma in Hotel and Catering Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Chai Wan) |
EMPLOYMENT
EMPLOYMENT
| 2024-Present | Assistant Professor and Programme Leader, Department of Hospitality and Business Management, Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong |
| 2023-2024 | Assistant Professor, Faculty of Management and Hospitality, Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong |
| 2019-2023 | Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Management and Hospitality, Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong |
| 2016-2019 | Tutor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| 2015-2016 | Junior Chef de Partie, Mandarin Grill and Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong |
| 2014-2015 | Commis I, Mandarin Grill and Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong |
| 2012-2014 | Commis II, Mandarin Grill and Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong |
| 2012-2012 | Overseas culinary programme, Adolfo Group in Toledo, Spain |
| 2010-2010 | Pastry Cook, Confetti Celebration Cakes Ltd. |
| 2009-2010 | Commis, The American Club Hong Kong (Country Club) |
| 2008-2010 | Racecourse Catering Training Program, The Hong Kong Jockey Club |
| 2007-2010 | Service Champion, Hӓagen Dazs |
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
| 2024-2029 | Regional Judge in Culinary Arts and Hot Kitchen The World Association of Chef Societies |
| 2023-2028 | Judge Seminar (Culinary Arts and Hot Kitchen Competition) The World Association of Chef Societies |
| 2022 | Basic Food Hygiene for Hygiene Managers Food and Environmental Hygiene Department |
| 2021 | WSET Level 2 Award in Wines |
| 2018-Present | Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute |
| 2017-Present | Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute |
| 2016-2021 | Judge Seminar (Culinary Arts and Hot Kitchen Competition) The World Association of Chef Societies |
| 2007 | Basic Food Hygiene Certificate for Hygiene Manager The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department |
| 2005-2006 | Certificate in Fundamental Western Bakery and Pastry (Distinction) Vocational Training Council (Career-oriented Curriculum) |
| 2006 | Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene The Royal Institute of Public Health |
AWARDS
AWARDS
| 2023 | Recipient of 2nd Runner Up Hong Kong Food Waste Disposal Competition – Start-Up Proposal (HK$100,000) |
| 2021 | Recipient of THEi Teaching Awards 2021/22 |
| 2018 | Champion Italian Panini Cooking Competition – Hong Kong |
| 2015 | Recipient of Legendary Colleague Award – 3rd Quarter 2015 Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong |
| 2011 | Dean’s List for Outstanding Academic Achievement |
ACADEMIC SERVICES
ACADEMIC SERVICES
- Ad-hoc reviewer, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management
- Ad-hoc reviewer, International Journal of Hospitality Management
- Ad-hoc reviewer, Tourism Management
- Ad-hoc reviewer, Journal of China Tourism Research
COMMUNITY SERVICES
COMMUNITY SERVICES
| 2024-Present | External Examiner of HD in Tourism Management (Culinary) Hong Kong College of Technology |
| 2023-Present | Chinese Cuisine Institute Training Board (CCITB) Member |
| 2021-2024 | External Examiner of Apl in Pâtisserie and Café Operations Hong Kong College of Technology |
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
| 2025-Present | Committee Member, Education Committee & Worldchefs Academy The World Association of Chef Societies |
| 2025-Present | Committee Member, Feed the Planet & Sustainability & Inclusion Committee, The World Association of Chef Societies |
| 2015-Present | Chairwoman, Hong Kong Young Chefs Club (HKYCC) |
| 2017-Present | Treasurer, Hong Kong Chefs Association (HKCA) |
| 2018-2024 | Young Chef Ambassador Mentor, Young Chefs Development Team of World Association of Chefs’ Societies (Worldchefs) |
| 2014-2018 | Young Chef Ambassador, Young Chefs Development Team of Worldchefs |
| 2013-2014 | Treasurer, HKYCC |
| 2009- 2013 | Committee Members, HKYCC |
EXTERNAL RESEARCH GRANTS
EXTERNAL RESEARCH GRANTS
| 2021-2023 UGC/IDS(R)25/20 | Establishment of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Food By-products Utilization (CIFU), Institutional Development Scheme – Research Infrastructure Grant (IDSR), 2020, Hong Kong, (on-going) as Co-Investigator. Funded amount: HK$ 5,037,167. |
| 2023-2025 | Dining is too stressful during trips”: An investigation of dining values among tourists with dietary restrictions. General Research Fund (GRF), 2023, Hong Kong (on-going) as Co-Investigator. Funded amount: HK$389,259. |
RESEARCH INTERESTS
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Chefs’ creativity
- Employee creative process
- Organizational behaviour
- Human resource management
- Employee commitment
- Food and beverage management
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS / CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS / CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
- LIN P.M., XIA S., Leung, V.T., AU W. C. (2024). Exploring the dining experiences of diabetic tourists. IMPACT2024 Conference, Hong Kong, China, 11-13 Oct 2024.
- Baldwin, W., Wong, W. C. W., & Leung, V. T. (2023). The transference of cuisine and michelin rated Chinese restaurants: A Chef’s perspective of chineseness in Hong Kong. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 100817.
- Lee, H. Y., Leung, V. T., & Kwok, Y. W. (2023). Synergy of the municipal solid waste (MSW) charging scheme with different strategies for food waste recycling in Hong Kong. In E3S Web of Conferences (Vol. 379, p. 02001). EDP Sciences.
- Leung, V.T., (2023). Addressing Environmental Awareness on Purchase Intention on Upcycled Food Products. International Conference on Food and Nutrition (ICFN-23), Las Vegas, United States, 24-25 July 2023.
- Shahid, M. U., & Leung, V.T., (2023). Customer Perception and Acceptability on Novel Recipe Formulation Using Food By-products. Food Innovation Asia Conference 2023 “The Future Food for Sustainability, Health and Well-being”. Bangkok, Thailand, 15-16 June 2023.
- Shahid, M. U., & Leung, V.T., (2023). Customer Perception and Acceptability on Novel Recipe Formulation Using Food By-products. Food Innovation Asia Conference 2023 “The Future Food for Sustainability, Health and Well-being”. Bangkok, Thailand, 15-16 June 2023.
- Leung, V. T., & Lin, P. M. (2022). The roles of multiple foci of employee commitments and job satisfaction on creative performance: a study of hotel chefs. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 101, 103107.
- Lin, P. M., Au, W. C., Leung, V. T., & Peng, K. L. (2020). Exploring the meaning of work within the sharing economy: A case of food-delivery workers. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 91, 102686. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102686
- Leung V. T. (2020). Testing mediating role of job satisfaction, autonomy and idea generation on resource support and creative performance, APacCHRIE Conference, Hong Kong. 27-28 October 2020.
- Cheung M. C. & Leung V. T. (2020). Investigating the relationship of transformational leadership, value organizational commitment, affective occupational commitment and organizational turnover intention in the Hong Kong Catering Industry, APacCHRIE Conference, Hong Kong. 27-28 October 2020
- Chan L. S. & Leung V. T., Workplace incivility, work engagement and occupational commitment of Hong Kong hotel chefs, THEi Student FYP Poster Presentation 2020, Hong Kong, 2 August 2020.
- Leung, V. T., & Lin, P. M. (2019). Employee segmentation analysis in the hospitality industry: employee commitments and behavioral differences. APacCHRIE & EuroCHRIE Joint Conference. Hong Kong. 22-25 May 2019.
- Leung, V. T., & Lin, P. M. (2018). Exogenous factors of the creative process and performance in the culinary profession. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 69, 56-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2017.10.007(SSCI, 5-year impact factor: 7.780, Ranked A* in Australian Business Deans Council “ABDC” list)
- Leung, V. T., & Lin, P. M. (2018). Millennial hotel employees’ commitments on job satisfaction and turnover intention. Tourism and Retail Management Conference (TRMC) 2018. Macau SAR, China. 3-4 December 2018
- Leung, V. T., & Lin, P. M. (2018). The impact of kitchen employees’ commitment on job outcomes. 2018 Asia Pacific Forum (APF) for Graduate Students Research in Tourism. Honolulu, Hawaii. 16-18 May 2018.
- Chan, I. C., & Liu, T., & Leung, V. T. (2016). The choice of Airbnb: Is “home-like feeling” what people look for? The 3rd Global Tourism and Hospitality Conference. Hong Kong. 5-7 June 2017.
- Leung, T. Y., & YoonjoungHeo, C. (2011). Individual and organizational factors impacting on chefs’ creativity. The 70th TOSOK International Tourism Conference. South Korea. 4-7 July 2011.