Tim Ho Wan’s North Point branch in Hong Kong has lost its Michelin star; owner Mak Kwai-pui laments apprentices’ lack of ambition

▲ Tim Ho Wan owner Mak Kwai-pui. (Photo / File)

Reporter Huang Shiyuan / Taipei reporting

The Michelin Guide for Hong Kong and Macau 2018 was released today (Nov. 30), with three restaurants dropping from two stars to one and five one-star restaurants losing their stars altogether, including Tim Ho Wan North Point, which is well known to Taiwanese. According to the Hong Kong Economic Times, Tim Ho Wan owner Mak Kwai-pui lamented that his apprentices lack drive, dislike working, and he even found that shrimp dumplings had been steamed until mushy but were still served to customers.

In an interview with the Hong Kong Economic Times, Tim Ho Wan owner Mak Kwai-pui mentioned that recruitment of staff in Hong Kong Island is somewhat difficult, and the loss of young chefs has led to quality issues. Since Tim Ho Wan in Hong Kong does not have a central kitchen but operates with individual kitchens, he will pay attention to and look into the situation at the North Point branch, confront the problems, and is unlikely to open new branches in the short term.

Tim Ho Wan is a dim sum restaurant founded by Mak Kwai-pui in 2009 after he left the hotel industry. Just eight months after opening, it earned a Michelin one-star rating and was once dubbed “the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant.” Tim Ho Wan has branches in Hong Kong and overseas, but only the ones in Hong Kong are directly operated by Mak Kwai-pui; overseas locations are franchised. Currently, there are five Tim Ho Wan branches in Hong Kong: Sham Shui Po, Admiralty, Mong Kok, Fo Tan, and Tsuen Wan. Currently, only the Sham Shui Po and Admiralty branches are still open, while the Mong Kok and Tsuen Wan branches have been closed. The Fo Tan branch has also lost its star.
Sham Shui Po Address: Shop 11, 99 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong