(From left) Team members of the Infinity Room Winston Lau, Elizabeth Li, Timmy Ng Sui-yat and Flora Yau Sin-yan (in the screen)
Perfection in a cup
The latest cool hangout is CUHK’s first student-run cafe
Dawn has broken over the green hills, in another quiet summer’s morning on campus. In the distance, Winston Lau Wai-sum reports for work, as he has done every day throughout the last month, in an artsy cafe at 8:30am. He makes it his duty, a preoccupation, even, to create the perfect espresso shot before the first customer comes calling.
The grind size and coffee-to-water ratio must be fine-tuned with consummate care, the only way Winston would have it. “You may say I’m a perfectionist – but our coffee has to be good, and show people we mean business,” says the fifth-year Systems Engineering student, taking seriously his new role as a barista of the Infinity Room.
Along with three friends, Winston is operating the University’s first student-run cafe after they won a pitching competition last year and were awarded the contract. The start-up project is co-organised by the Office of Student Affairs, the Office of Research and Knowledge Transfer Services and EPIN, a minor programme in entrepreneurship and innovation.
It will be a year-long endeavour, stretching from this summer to the next, for the foursome to try their hand at managing a business. They have decorated the Infinity Room, an 800-square-foot space at John Fulton Centre on the main campus, with DIY patchwork curtains, wooden floor tiles and artworks, and now stand ready to welcome the new academic year.
The opening in June may have been a slow start, but to their surprise, a small loyal following of staff members, students and alumni has formed by now. “Some are residents here at CUHK and their families. They buy us fruits. It’s so heartwarming,” Winston says. “I didn’t expect this. I’ve also begun to remember their tastes and preferences.”
Among the coffees, customers are most attracted to the coconut americano and coconut latte, the natural sweetness of the beverages tickling the tastebuds of those who prefer no added sugar. Hand-drip coffee will be added to the menu soon, Winston says.
Non-coffee options include oolong tea, green tea and smoothies, and also desserts such as waffles with red beans and uji matcha, homemade showa-style custard pudding and caramel basque cheesecake, all priced between HK$20 and HK$40.
If Winston is the main barista, Elizabeth Li Shan-shan is a clear choice for curator. The fine art major is displaying works of her classmates at their new venture: there are photographs, wood sculptures and paintings, including her own recollection of black gowns hung high up inside a nightclub during her childhood. Some of the colourful cups and plates were recycled from catering operators, their pretty patterns too good to pass up. The patchwork curtains are her own creations, the fabrics sourced from Sham Shui Po. Thanks to Elizabeth’s labours, it feels like nothing short of a mini gallery, a showcase of CUHK’s budding artists.
“I care about these little things that I think can elevate the customer experience,” says Elizabeth. “It is my hope that people come here not just for good food, but also to find comfort and aesthetic pleasure.” In the months ahead, artists will be invited to conduct workshops and interact with customers. A weekend market is on the cards as well, she adds.
It probably helps infinitely that the Infinity Room pays so much attention to its looks. Unsuspecting customers have sauntered in, curious about the menu and the decor, and contributed to the cafe’s initial target of 70 orders a day in the past month. The real test will come now that school has reopened. With four part-time student helpers joining the team, they are confident of serving the CUHK community.
“We have created this space and I’m so thrilled to see our dream come true,” Elizabeth says. “Work could be tough sometimes, but it’s more satisfying than doing other jobs.”
By Joyce Ng
Photos by LCT
The Infinity Room
Address: Room LG05, John Fulton Centre, CUHK
Follow the café’s Instagram for latest opening hours
