Police are alarmed by The Peak break-ins at the residence of HSBC Asia-Pacific chief executive Peter Wong Tung-shun and the home of restaurant owner Chui Wai-kwan, and they are going all out to find the perpetrators.
Chui, nicknamed ``Chat Goh'' _ the seventh older brother is a renowned restaurateur. His house in a well-known estate is envied by many.
A lawyer friend who moved to the same estate recently told me he is really pleased with the layout of the property and the surrounding environment.
Chui, 67, is the seventh son of Chui Fook-chuen, who founded the famous Fook Lam Moon restaurant group.
Some time ago, he told me over dinner about the difficult days when he helped his father run an on-call catering service, carrying huge portable round table tops to prepare banquets at rich people's homes in Mid-Levels and on The Peak.
Fook Lam Moon subsequently opened its own shop, and Chui was entrusted with overseas expansion.
He opened a branch in Japan taking up the challenge despite not knowing the Japanese language.
The most difficult part of that project, he said, was the unavailability of essential ingredients. Those included live chickens for the signature crispy fried chicken dish.
To ensure Fook Lam Moon standards, he bred his own chickens at a poultry farm in Japan to supply the restaurant.
The free-range chickens gained popularity, and the farm raised enough for other restaurants too. The arrangement benefits both his eatery and its poultry farmer partner.
In recent years, Chui has been operating under his own banner after splitting from Fook Lam Moon. I think that's a wise move.
The fact he now lives a comfortable life in a luxury home on The Peak demonstrates again the wisdom of reaping what you sow.
Incidentally, skyrocketing property prices have made buying a home an impossible dream for the next generation. The government is duty- bound to do something about this.
I think if we give hard-working young people the chance to move up the social ladder, it will help relieve feelings of resentment in the community.
Siu Sai-wo is publisher of Sing Tao Daily
