18123_NSFM-mei-2021_Guts_Totaal_UK_1_Spreads_LR

The Black Sheep Group is not afraid of a challenge!
In 2012, Christopher Mark (a highly experienced Canadian chef) and Syed Asim Hussain (a financial pro
with Pakistani culinary roots) teamed up to launch the Black Sheep Group in Hong Kong. Their mission:
an authentic experience for guests. Fast forward to 2021 and the group now numbers thirty restaurants
– 29 in Hong Kong plus 1 in Shanghai, two of which have been crowned with coveted Michelin stars.
In fact, BSG is growing so fast there may well be 31 to 32 by now. Each restaurant has its own concept,
giving guests an experience of a specific time, place, ambiance, culture and cuisine.
Restaurants in the group offer a whole range of different flavours and feels, such as Asian, French, Italian,
South American, North American and Middle Eastern. But always intense, always top quality, and always unique.
Ho Lee Fook
a funky chinese kitchen.
Hong Kong. World metropolis.
Paradise for adventurous foodies.
Countless restaurants for every
occasion to choose from. As an
organisation looking for a place
where your business partners
will truly be treated like guests,
where do you go? For special
events, Aartsen Asia goes to the
Black Sheep Group.
That's because this group of
thirty local (save one) restaurants
shares something crucial in
common with Aartsen: guts!
We caught up with co-founder
Christopher Mark.
Taking care of each other
Restaurants in the Black Sheep Group (BSG)
pamper their guests and are devoted to
creating an authentic experience.
It's hospitality to the max, where guests get
extra-special treatment and personal attention.
The team is perfectly trained and provide
tip-top service. The secret ingredient?
The philosophy driving BSG, which starts
with taking excellent care of its workforce.
This is not always a given in the sector, but
it's a guiding principle for BSG. Because if
staff are happy, they'll take good care of
guests.
Inspired by the world
BSG restaurants are inspired by countries
and cities all over the world. Besides eateries
spotlighting authentic Hong Kong cooking,
they range from old-style New York, Italian
and neo-Parisian cuisine to Lebanese and
Vietnamese restaurants. At first sight, the
differences are massive, but the restaurants
actually have a lot in common. According to
Christopher Mark, they have about 70% in
common and are 30% distinctive. In terms
of quality, hospitality level, hygiene and the
standards guests can expect, the restaurants
are identical. Where they differ is in their cuisine,
atmosphere and the look and feel of each
member of the group.
Ho Lee Fook
BSG is distinctive and gutsy in everything
they do. Take the restaurant Ho Lee Fook.
Contrary to what the name suggests (take a
minute to say it out loud), it actually means
something really beautiful, translating as
‘Good fortune for your mouth’. Sure, that may
sound a little cheesy, but it lives up to that
promise. Mark assures us the name has
never put off any customers, certainly not
once they've eaten at Ho Lee Fook and seen
all their expectations exceeded.
Arrogance-averse
Maintaining a consistently high level of
hospitality, service and quality seems like
no easy feat, but the two partners have
surrounded themselves with better and
stronger teams than they had starting out.
Which is important if you’re as ambitious as
BSG, because it opens up more scope for
new ideas, restaurants and other developments.
This sounds like a concept with massive
international potential, yet, while Mark and his
co-founder Hussain are certainly interested in
going global, they don't want to be arrogant.
For now, they're exploring the options, but
have no firm plans yet.
Got to be gutsy
Co-owners Christopher Mark and Syed Asim
Hussain are ambitious to continue growing in
spite of the hard times the hospitality industry
currently finds itself in. Never before have
restaurants had it this tough. Which is why,
Mark says, it's more important than ever to
offer the best quality and take even bigger risks.
Good fortune
for your mouth.
You've really got to be gutsy. Mark explained
that the group owes its success to the bold
choices it's made. Whenever they opted to
go the safe route, it backfired. They've also
learnt not to be swayed by others, because
everyone's always got an opinion about a
concept, an interior and what dishes you're
serving up. Opinions, however, won't get you
anywhere. Clearly, choosing to be gutsy and
pave their own way has paid off for the Black
Sheep Group.
nonstop
fresh/ 19