30-year-old manual laborer’s chef dream collides with Hong Kong’s pre-made meals reality

A 30-year-old manual laborer, commonly referred to in Hong Kong as a "coolie", has sparked debate within the city's culinary industry after posting online about his dream of becoming a chef, with a veteran executive chef warning that the trade has become increasingly reliant on pre-prepared dishes.

In the social media post, the man said he hoped to open a small izakaya centered on personal connections rather than fine dining, drawing inspiration from the Japanese drama "Midnight Diner."

"I know it is very hard to be in the culinary industry in Hong Kong right now," he wrote, repeating the sentiment three times. He added that his goal was not solely about making money but about pursuing "that kind of life experience."

Some commenters offered encouragement. One said he had opened a cafe at the same age, while another claimed to have progressed from running a dessert stall to working at a Michelin-starred restaurant before eventually owning four outlets.

However, a chef with 30 years of experience as an executive chef urged the man to reconsider. "There is basically nothing to learn if you enter the industry now; many dishes are supplied pre-made," he wrote in a comment that quickly went viral.

A cook with five years of experience echoed the concern, saying central kitchens and pre-prepared dishes have become commonplace as restaurants seek to reduce costs. "Even people with no culinary experience can walk in and do the job, and you won't have much to take away from it," he said.

Other commenters, however, disagreed with the executive chef's assessment, arguing that not every restaurant relies heavily on pre-prepared food. "Don't say the entire industry is like that. There are still plenty of places that aren't," one commenter wrote.

Beyond the issue of training, the executive chef described the profession as demanding, with long hours and relatively low pay. He also warned that working in the industry often makes it difficult to maintain family and social relationships because weekends and public holidays are typically the busiest periods.

Some netizens also highlighted the physical demands of working in a Japanese kitchen, warning of the risk of serious burns from hot oil and open flames.

One commenter posed a question to the aspiring chef: "Are you actually interested in people, or in cooking?" suggesting that if he simply wanted meaningful conversations with others, there might be other ways to achieve that without entering the high-pressure restaurant industry.

The poster later replied simply, "Got it," but did not indicate whether he would go ahead with the career change.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓