Philippe F ong
first developed an enthusiasm for cooking when he was
a small boy growing up in Sarawak, Malaysia. He would
watch his mother making little sweet pastries for Chinese
New Year and soon found himself joining in. More than
two decades later, Fong is one of the Hard Rock franchise’s
most trusted chefs, not only for his culinary ability
but also his management skills. Apart from a brief 8 month
stint working for another restaurant chain, Fong has spent
most of his 14 year career working for the celebrated
haven of all things rock – has he never got bored?
‘Working for Hard Rock Café (HRC) feels more
like being part of a family – we’re all very
close and also HRC is unique because we’re not just
restricted to our own departments – I’m also
involved in things like marketing and promotion for example.’
It’s not just the management ethic that has kept
Fong engaged however. Over the years he’s been moved
regularly between branches, taking in Kuala Lumpur, Bali,
Jakarta, Taipei and even Guang Zhou in China along the
way.
He also spent some time training in Orlando, Florida
at the Corporate Head Office. That’s not bad for
a man who is still only 33 years old. ‘I’ve
been lucky really. I’ve regularly been a part of
an opening team and I enjoy the challenge. Of course it
can be hectic and stressful, but the end result is satisfying.
Like watching a baby growing into a teenager.’
Luck may have nothing to do with it – Fong is clearly
a calm and collected character, just the sort of man you
want on board for a new venture. He’s also self-effacing
– when I ask him about the menu, the core of which
is supplied by HRC’s head office, but to which dishes
are added, he explains that the rank and file are encouraged
to get involved in developing new menu items.
‘Around the world, our food is simple to prepare,
using easy to find ingredients, but there’s no compromise
on quality – 85% of our ingredients are imported
and the local fruit and vegetables we use are all organic.’
He seems to have really enjoyed his time in China - ‘I
tried some strange kinds of food there – like cockroach
and scorpion and even peacock stew. It’s one of
the things I really enjoy about my job, trying all these
different foods – grasshopper sate is an interesting
local one here in Bali’ You won’t find such
items on the HRC menu of course. As we wound up the interview,
a combination plate of starters turned up – chicken
wings, tasty dips, spring rolls with creamy fillings,
and onion rings amongst other things. Hmmm, delicious.
JD |
