Yung Kee
Encyclopedia
Yung Kee is a Chinese restaurant located on Wellington Street
in Central
, Hong Kong
. It is most famous for its roast goose
.
selling siu mei
on Kwong Yuen West Street, near the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal
, before it was converted into a restaurant by Kam Shui-fai (甘穗煇) in 1942. In 1942, Kam leased the premises at 32 Wing Lok Street
in Sheung Wan
for HK$4,000. During the Second World War, the building was destroyed in a Japanese air raid
. In 1944, the restaurant was moved to 32 Pottinger Street
. It moved into its current premises on Wellington Street
in 1964, and after four more adjacent buildings were acquired, the lot was rebuilt in 1978 to become today's Yung Kee Building.
In 1968, Yung Kee was chosen by Fortune
magazine as one of the Top 15 Restaurants in the World, the only Chinese restaurant on the list.
During the 2001 SARS
outbreak and again during the avian flu scare, Yung Kee was forced to temporarily stop serving roast goose and other poultry
.
with roughly HK$127 million in assets. In 2000, the two top floors of the building which the restaurant occupies became available; the company purchased those floors at that point, and now owns the entire building. After the death of the founder Kam Shui-fai, its shares were divided among Kam's children: eldest son Kam Kin-sing (甘健成) and second son Kam Kwan-lai (甘琨禮) each received 45%, while the remaining 10% was held by Kam's daughter Kam Mei-ling through her own holding company Everway Holdings Limited; she later sold it to the younger Kam. In fiscal year 2009, the restaurant earned HK$51.1 million in net profit
. However, there have been continuing disputes among the two brothers about the management of the company, especially due to the appointment of the younger Kam brother's son Kam Lin-wang (甘連宏) as a director, drawing a salary of HK$45,000/month for only a few hours of work. In July 2010, the elder Kam brother applied to the High Court
for liquidation of the holding company if the younger Kam brother refused to buy out his stake.
Yung Kee dishes are also served in first
and business class
on board Cathay Pacific
flights, and boxes of roast goose and preserved eggs from the restaurant are sold in the on-board duty-free shop
in an effort to take advantage of a growing demand for "souvenir food".
The sixth floor of the restaurant building is occupied by the Kee Club, described by founder Maria Rhomberg as "a place for people tired of discos but still too young for formal restaurants and stuffy establishment clubs"; she met Kam in Shanghai
to present the concept to him, and opened the club in 2001.
Wellington Street, Hong Kong
Wellington Street is a street in Central and Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is a straight road running downward and westward from Wyndham Street to Queen's Road Central. The two sides of street is a mosaic of old and new buildings. Varieties of trades can be found on the street level...
in Central
Central District
There is more than one place called Central District, Center District or Centre District:*Central District *Center District, Israel*Tsentralny District, Russia*Central District, Seattle*Central, Hong Kong...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. It is most famous for its roast goose
Roast goose
Roast goose is a dish found within Chinese and European cuisine.-Southern China:In southern China, roast goose is a variety of siu mei, or roasted meat dishes, within Cantonese cuisine. It is made by roasting geese with seasoning in a charcoal furnace at high temperature. Roasted geese of high...
.
History
Yung Kee used to be a dai pai dongDai pai dong
Dai pai dong is a type of open-air food stall once very popular in Hong Kong. The government registration name in Hong Kong is "cooked-food stalls", but dai pai dong literally means "restaurant with a big license plate", referring to its size of license which is bigger than other licensed street...
selling siu mei
Siu mei
Siu mei is the generic name, in Cantonese cuisine, given to meats roasted on spits over an open fire or a huge wood burning rotisserie oven. It creates a unique, deep barbecue flavor that is usually enhanced by a flavorful sauce . Shops selling these meats are commonly found in Chinese-speaking...
on Kwong Yuen West Street, near the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal
Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier, Hong Kong
The Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal is a ferry terminal and heliport, centrally located in Hong Kong. It is also known as the Macau Ferry Terminal, the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier or the Shun Tak Heliport, and has an ICAO code of VHST....
, before it was converted into a restaurant by Kam Shui-fai (甘穗煇) in 1942. In 1942, Kam leased the premises at 32 Wing Lok Street
Wing Lok Street
Wing Lok Street is a street in Sheung Wan on the northern Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The street is a marketplace for Chinese medicine and many varieties of dried seafood - especially shark fin. Its east end features a number of restaurants...
in Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan is an area in Hong Kong, located in the north-west of Hong Kong Island, between Central and Sai Ying Pun. Administratively, it is part of the Central and Western District...
for HK$4,000. During the Second World War, the building was destroyed in a Japanese air raid
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
. In 1944, the restaurant was moved to 32 Pottinger Street
Pottinger Street
Pottinger Street is a street in Central, Hong Kong. It is also better known as the Stone Slabs Street by the locals, after the granite stone steps which are a rarity nowadays in Hong Kong. The street was named after Henry Pottinger, the first Governor of Hong Kong.-Location:The street was...
. It moved into its current premises on Wellington Street
Wellington Street, Hong Kong
Wellington Street is a street in Central and Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It is a straight road running downward and westward from Wyndham Street to Queen's Road Central. The two sides of street is a mosaic of old and new buildings. Varieties of trades can be found on the street level...
in 1964, and after four more adjacent buildings were acquired, the lot was rebuilt in 1978 to become today's Yung Kee Building.
In 1968, Yung Kee was chosen by Fortune
Fortune (magazine)
Fortune is a global business magazine published by Time Inc. Founded by Henry Luce in 1930, the publishing business, consisting of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated, grew to become Time Warner. In turn, AOL grew as it acquired Time Warner in 2000 when Time Warner was the world's largest...
magazine as one of the Top 15 Restaurants in the World, the only Chinese restaurant on the list.
During the 2001 SARS
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
outbreak and again during the avian flu scare, Yung Kee was forced to temporarily stop serving roast goose and other poultry
Poultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
.
Finances and ownership
Yung Kee is owned by Yung Kee Holdings Limited, a private holding companyHolding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
with roughly HK$127 million in assets. In 2000, the two top floors of the building which the restaurant occupies became available; the company purchased those floors at that point, and now owns the entire building. After the death of the founder Kam Shui-fai, its shares were divided among Kam's children: eldest son Kam Kin-sing (甘健成) and second son Kam Kwan-lai (甘琨禮) each received 45%, while the remaining 10% was held by Kam's daughter Kam Mei-ling through her own holding company Everway Holdings Limited; she later sold it to the younger Kam. In fiscal year 2009, the restaurant earned HK$51.1 million in net profit
Net profit
Net profit or net revenue is a measure of the profitability of a venture after accounting for all costs. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 91 percent responded that they found the "net profit" metric very useful...
. However, there have been continuing disputes among the two brothers about the management of the company, especially due to the appointment of the younger Kam brother's son Kam Lin-wang (甘連宏) as a director, drawing a salary of HK$45,000/month for only a few hours of work. In July 2010, the elder Kam brother applied to the High Court
High Court (Hong Kong)
The High Court in Hong Kong consists of the Court of Appeal and the Court of First Instance. It deals with criminal and civil cases which have risen beyond the lower courts. It was named the Supreme Court before 1997.- High Court Building :...
for liquidation of the holding company if the younger Kam brother refused to buy out his stake.
Specialties
Yung Kee is most famous for its roast goose, and serves as many as 300 whole birds per day. A half bird—which serves up to six people—costs HK$240, while a two-person portion goes for HK$120. The late founder Kam is nicknamed "Roast Goose Fai" (燒鵝煇), and Yung Kee's roast goose has become well known in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, and also among foreign tourists. Some take a box of goose on the flight home to share with family and friends, giving rise to the nickname "Flying Roast Goose" (飛天燒鵝). In 1997, four dishes from Yung Kee received awards in the Hong Kong Food Festival Culinary Awards Competition: "Wild Geese Resting on Plum Tress" won a platinum award, while "Fish Biting Lamb in Huizhou Style" (fresh carp stuffed with shredded lamb), "Celebrating Prosperity" (fish and chicken wings on a bed of stir-fried vegetables and shredded turtle meat), and "Aloe Vera with Golden Pomegranate" each won gold awards.Yung Kee dishes are also served in first
First class travel
First class is the most luxurious class of accommodation on a train, passenger ship, airplane, or other conveyance. It is usually much more expensive than business class and economy class, and offers the best amenities.-Aviation:...
and business class
Business class
Business class is a travel class available on many commercial airlines and rail lines, known by brand names which vary by airline or rail company. In the airline industry, it was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now...
on board Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
flights, and boxes of roast goose and preserved eggs from the restaurant are sold in the on-board duty-free shop
Duty-free shop
Duty-free shops are retail outlets that are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods sold will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country...
in an effort to take advantage of a growing demand for "souvenir food".
The sixth floor of the restaurant building is occupied by the Kee Club, described by founder Maria Rhomberg as "a place for people tired of discos but still too young for formal restaurants and stuffy establishment clubs"; she met Kam in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
to present the concept to him, and opened the club in 2001.