Great taste follows wealth

The catering industry is going through tough times this year, but some operators have been able to rise above adversity.

Among the hardy ones is the Putien group, a multinational chain based in Singapore.

Putien is the namesake of a small locality in Fujian from where the group's founder, Fong Chi-chung, hailed.

After settling in Singapore, Fong missed the food of his hometown, so he set up the restaurant in the Lion City to offer authentic Putien cuisine, which turned into a popular, Michelin-starred establishment.

There are Fujianese immigrants all around Southeast Asia, and many of them hoped Putien would open outlets in their locality. So Fong worked out a method to ensure quality control and expanded beyond Singapore.

There is a Putien here, but Hong Kong wasn't the first place where the group opened branches.

I was told that the chain was invited to come to Hong Kong after a senior government official tried its food while in Singapore and declared it to be excellent.

Putien specializes in down-to-earth, fresh seafood and noodle dishes.

As a gourmand's paradise, it is right that the SAR should have such a high caliber eatery.

We can't travel yet because of the pandemic, but we can at least enjoy the Singapore chain offerings without going out of Hong Kong.

Many people know that the Southern Shaolin Temple is a well-known landmark in Putien. But the Putienese are also famously known as the "Jews of China" because of their business acumen. Many tycoons in Southeast Asia originate were from Putien, like Indonesian financial magnate and "Money King" Lie Mo-tie, and Sino Group's Ng family too.

Despite being small, Putien indeed appears blessed, as it keeps producing wealthy people.

Siu Sai-wo is publisher of Sing Tao Daily