The charcoal ovens that fired a Hong Kong roast goose restaurant into the gourmet bibles
For decades Yung Kee in Central served up some of the city’s finest delicacies – then it became better known for its feuds than its food
Yung Kee Restaurant grew from humble beginnings in 1942 to an empire known over the world for its roast goose, made in charcoal-fired ovens at the Wellington Street landmark in Central.
But the restaurant’s fame has been partly shadowed in the past decade by a family feud that erupted after founder Kam Shui-fai died in December 2004.
Kam left each of two sons, Kinsen Kam Kwan-sing and Ronald Kam Kwan-lai, a stake of 35 per cent in the business.
Crisis loomed when the pair’s younger brother, Kam Kwan-ki, died in 2007 and passed on his 10 per cent stake to Ronald. Though their mother, Mak Siu-chun, acted quickly to give her 10 per cent share to Kinsen in an attempt to restore the balance, the equilibrium was again upset when the brothers’ younger sister, Kelly, gave her 10 per cent to Ronald.
A dispute broke out when the elder Kinsen complained that he was excluded from the restaurant, with affairs of the company conducted in what he described as a manner prejudicial to him.
The legal battle continued even after Kinsen suddenly died in 2012, with his widow, Leung Sui-kwan, representing his estate, until the Court of Final Appeal last month granted a winding-up order in his favour.