If you’re not following chef-owner-restaurateur-lobster-enthusiast ‘Big’ Sam Young on Instagram, what have you been doing? The co-owner of Castlecrag’s luxe bistro S’more – known for its top-quality produce, bougie offerings and truffle-on-everything energy – posts non-stop pictures of delicious food and private dinners at multi-million-dollar homes. He’s also prolific when it comes to being a hustler, which comes from his lived experience of moving to Australia from Hong Kong at 13 – only to have everything, including his passport and money, stolen days later. Being an immigrant and working hard has shaped his ethos. Now, he and partner Grace Chen are opening their second venue dedicated to that journey: a Chinese restaurant called Young’s Palace, opening this August in the excellent former home of Raja and Teddy on Kellett Street in Potts Point.
“We’ve been sold this outdated image of immigrant-run restaurants as cheap, fast and scrappy. That was survival. But now, we want to tell a new story – one that honours hard work but also values quality, creativity and pride,” Sam says, who has also spent time in the kitchens of Queen Chow and Lotus.
Young’s Palace is also inspired by the couple’s travels – particularly the Chinatowns they’ve explored in cities like Paris, Amsterdam, New York, Vancouver and Sydney.
“Grace and I always find ourselves hunting down a plate of fried rice or chow mein, no matter where we are in the world. Young’s Palace is about recreating that joy – classic Chinese dishes that are simple, comforting and utterly craveable,” says Sam.
Sam says don’t expect laminated menus with a hundred-plus options, fluorescent lighting or any compromise on quality for convenience. And absolutely no modern Asian-fusion. What you can expect, however, are two menus: one with nostalgic crowd favourites – think sweet and sour pork, honey king prawns, General Tao’s chicken and lemon chicken – and the ‘Chairman’s Menu’, which is BSY to a T: luxe dishes like lobster, giant mud crab and claypot abalone rice crowned with truffles and caviar.
“There’s no reason a bowl of noodles can’t be treated with the same respect and price tag as a plate of pasta. We’re not here to follow rules. We’re here to create something we’re proud of,” adds Sam.
See you there later this year!
Find out more here.
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