‘Hospitality was in his blood’: tributes for Wayne Parfitt, Australian restaurateur in Hong Kong

Larger-than-life Australian who in 1992 opened pizzeria Pepperoni’s in Sai Kung, the first of 90 restaurants in Hong Kong and Vietnam, loses battle with cancer

The man behind Jaspas, Oolaa, Piccolo and Wagyu, who brought Krispy Kreme doughnuts to Hong Kong, once said: ‘I’ll never leave. They can bury me in Sai Kung’

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Wayne Parfitt with wife Andrea and sons Jack (second from right) and Michael outside High Street Grill in Sai Ying Pun, one of some 90 restaurants the family’s Castelo Concepts group runs in Hong Kong and Vietnam. Parfitt has died after losing a battle with cancer. Photo: Bruce Yan

Published: 8:08pm, 14 Jun 2019Updated: 11:38pm, 15 Jun 2019

Popular Hong Kong-based restaurateur Wayne Parfitt has died after a battle with cancer, according to friends.

The Australian, who lived in Sai Kung, founded Castelo Concepts, which operates close to two dozen restaurants in Hong Kong, including Jaspas, Pepperoni’s and Wagyu, and more than 60 in Vietnam.

“A larger than life human with a giant heart, a passion for life, a great businessman and a pillar of all that is good in the Hong Kong and Sai Kung community. Heartfelt condolences to the family,” a member of a Sai Kung Facebook group wrote.

Another comment read: “Sincerest condolences to the whole Parfitt family – I will never forget Wayne personally delivering pizzas all over Sai Kung back in 92-93 in rain or shine, and personally welcoming, seating and giving menus to guests at every new restaurant for at least the first 2 weeks of operation. A professional in hospitality, through and through.”

Wayne Parfitt at Pepperoni’s in 1999. Sai Kung residents recall him driving around the former fishing village personally delivering takeaway pizzas in the restaurant’s early years. Photo: SCMP

Parfitt moved to Hong Kong from Queensland in 1990 and launched his hospitality career in the former fishing village, opening the Pepperoni’s pizza shop there in 1992. It’s now an institution, and still in the same spot on Po Tung Road.