Interview: broadcaster Robert Chua on TV's troubles and his new food ventures
I'm really disappointed because it hasn't improved or innovated. The quality is not there. Most programmes are driven by commercial interest and their content is not good. Everything is for a cheap laugh.
: I'm really disappointed because it hasn't improved or innovated. The quality is not there. Most programmes are driven by commercial interest and their content is not good. Everything is for a cheap laugh. Often the games they play are ridiculously stupid. It's low taste and not good for young people. They are teaching that it is OK to be rude to people, tell people off, it's cool to disrespect people.
I would fire most of the staff and recruit good people to create good content. Right now, good staff don't want to stay there because it is not inspiring, they are not paid well and they don't give them a chance to create good shows. Worse, they don't have the budget to create good shows.
It's producers and management who allow and encourage vulgar, silly shows to get attention. I feel sorry for the staff. Most producers lack the vision to try new things. Sex and violence is easy. You don't need much of a script for violence and car crashes. And sex, you don't even need costumes.
The students are our future and I respect them but no matter how smart they are, they still lack experience. I think they were used by people to do silly things. They didn't know when to stop and it hurt ordinary Hong Kong people. I think the students are very smart but what they did was stupid. No matter how smart you are you still need experience. That's what good parents are for.
I got started in the food industry by chance. I know Tim Ho Wan's owner-chef Mak Kwai-pui very well and there were lots of professional people who wanted to franchise his restaurant but he turned them all down. It's my luck that they decided to open up franchises outside of Hong Kong with me and my brother in Singapore. We now have five restaurants in Singapore, two in Manila with another opening soon, two in Taiwan, one in Kuala Lumpur that has just opened, another in Hanoi and then this year we're opening in Sydney and Melbourne.
I feel both are similar and I enjoy them both very much. In TV, you watch a programme and you enjoy it. In restaurants, you use your taste buds instead. Referring to a dish is like referring to a programme. The customers talk to me the same way ("I like this show or this dish.") Dealing with a location and trying to get a prime spot is just like trying for prime time for a programme. It's the same to me.
The problem with normal restaurants is to get good chefs. What I am doing with this concept is everything is 100 per cent French imported, so I don't depend on a chef or a baker. I like that. I know everything is consistent because it's coming from top artisans in France. It's also all GMO free. My cost is higher but I learned from Tim Ho Wan how to offer affordable five-star quality.
What I really like is the French baguette. I go to Cannes twice a year and the hotel breakfast is fantastic but all I eat is a whole baguette with butter. I have one and a half, sometimes two baguettes, in one go. I'm sure people think why is this silly Chinese man only eating bread instead of all the nice breakfast pastry. A baguette is the cheapest thing there. But that's what I like.
I think of it as my second calling. I'm 68 now and I got into the food industry at 66. It gives me the same satisfaction as television. Actually, I enjoy it so much I think of it as a hobby. I don't think I will ever retire. I hope I will die working.
