Zhong Jin
Chung Kam (1942 – 22 January 2008) was a Hong Kong chef and entrepreneur, founder of East Ocean Seafood Restaurant and Seafood Palace. He earned titles such as “Kam Gor,” “Godfather of Chefs,” “Kitchen God,” and “Charity Culinary King” for his achievements in the culinary industry.
Early Life
After the war, Chung Kam illegally entered Hong Kong from Sanxiang, Zhongshan County, Guangdong. With only a junior secondary education, he initially worked manual labor jobs such as rice carrying and toilet cleaning. After about a year, he became a kitchen helper at a restaurant, where his hard work and eagerness to learn earned the respect of the chefs, who taught him many culinary skills.
Rise to Success
Chung struggled with a gambling addiction that affected his life, but he was persuaded by a mentor to stop gambling and instead focus on improving his culinary skills. In 1982, he co-founded East Ocean Seafood Restaurant with Chow Kuen-chung. The two later parted ways, and Chow founded other restaurants including Super Star and King Dragon Boat, with Chung also investing.
Chung dedicated years to innovating Cantonese cuisine by blending traditional techniques with flavors and ingredients from other Chinese provinces and global cuisines. He created trends such as mini mooncakes and six-yolk lotus seed paste mooncakes, and invented dishes like lobster sashimi and crispy rice with shark fin, earning him a reputation as a master of contemporary Cantonese cuisine.
He won numerous accolades throughout his career. In 1985, he was awarded the "National Supreme Honor Gold Medal Chef" by the China Culinary Association. In 1996, he was listed in the Asia-Pacific Who's Who. In 2005, he was named “Godfather of Chinese Cuisine” at the Third International Culinary Summit in Guangzhou and also received the “Asia-Pacific Culinary Godfather” title—the first Chinese chef to do so.
Chung frequently appeared in television advertisements for his restaurants, which featured his awards and reputation as a selling point. His business expanded into a group with 10 branches across Hong Kong and mainland China under the names East Ocean and Seafood Palace. His restaurants won multiple honors, including “Grand Gourmet Awards” at the Hong Kong Food Expo, and in 1994, Seafood Palace was ranked the fourth best restaurant in the world by the *International Herald Tribune*.
He trained many apprentices, some of whom went abroad or started their own businesses in Hong Kong. He remained supportive and encouraging, earning respect as a mentor. His first and only formal apprentice, Yeung Hak-ming, succeeded him as executive director and CEO of the Hong Kong and China branches of the restaurant group.
Due to his humble beginnings, Chung treated employees generously and rewarded hard work, resulting in low turnover and high morale.
Business Challenges
Chung accumulated wealth through his restaurants but suffered significant financial losses during the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis due to overinvestment. He reportedly lost over HK$100 million in a single night. He eventually recovered, only to face a new crisis during the 2003 SARS outbreak, which devastated Hong Kong’s economy. Business at East Ocean dropped to just 10% of normal, prompting Chung to spend HK$20 million in severance to retain control of the business.
Later in life, he transferred ownership of many restaurants, retaining only the CEO role for East Ocean and Seafood Palace. His image continued to be used in promotional materials.
Personal Life
According to *Sing Tao Daily*, Chung was successful yet modest, often seen personally inspecting restaurant branches. He favored wearing suits and dress shoes with T-shirts, but disliked wearing socks. When traveling abroad, he would visit restaurants using the "East Ocean" name and give them friendly advice, joking that they shouldn't tarnish his "golden brand."[1]
He was fond of ballroom dancing, which he learned in middle age, earning him the nickname “King of the Dance Floor” in the food industry. He once performed tango and waltz at a concert by singer Paula Tsui.[2]
Death
His friend Leung Tai-ning revealed that Chung passed away at the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital in Happy Valley on 22 January 2008 at age 66. The family requested privacy and did not announce his death publicly until 27 January.
Celebrity chef Yeung Koon-yin, who knew Chung for over 30 years, recalled him as strong, kind, and generous. Chung had diabetes and a declining health condition in his final years. Food critic Wong Nga-lik described him as good-natured, creative in the kitchen, and a model in the culinary industry, noting his transformation from a compulsive gambler to a devoted chef.
Honors
- National Supreme Honor Gold Medal Chef – China Culinary Association, 1985
- Asia-Pacific Who’s Who, 1996
- Cordons Bleus Medal – Le Cordon Bleu, France, 2003
- “Asia-Pacific Culinary Godfather” & “Chinese Culinary Godfather” – International Culinary Summit, 2005
- Honorary President & Doctor of Gastronomy – International Culinary Summit, France, 2005
- Honorary President & “Charity Culinary King” – World Chinese Chefs Exchange Association, 2007
References
- Chung Kam – Stronger Through Adversity , August 2003, *The Voice*
- Cha Siu Yan: Chung Kam, 22 Jan 2008, *Sing Tao Daily*
- Founder of Seafood Palace Passes Away , 27 Jan 2008, *Sing Tao Daily*
- Yeung Koon-yin: Life is a Dream, 27 Jan 2008, *Sing Tao Daily*
- Master Chef Chung Kam Passes Away, Industry Mourns, 28 Jan 2008, *Oriental Daily*
- Founder of East Ocean Restaurant Passes Away, 28 Jan 2008, *The Sun*
- Master of the “Millionaire’s Banquet” – Chung Kam Dies, 28 Jan 2008, *am730*
- Biography of Chung Kam, East Ocean · Seafood Palace (Hong Kong Group) Website