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文章作者：郑运

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Interview Report 1221

Paul

Sara: Hello, Paul. It’s a nice restaurant! How long have you owned your own restaurants?
Paul: I have altogether three restaurants, respectively located in Florida, Beijing and Shanghai. I started to do restaurant-related job 42 years ago and I have operated restaurant business for 32 years.
Sara: Well, that’s quite a long time. So during nearly half of your life, you concentrate to only own business.
Paul: Yeah, I have one sole dream that I want to open my own restaurant. I developed this dream when I was a little child. That was around 13. At that time, my mother was ill and lied on bed all day long. So I had to make meals for the whole family. Soon I found myself crazy about making food. After my mother’s recovery, she taught me how to cook, bake and things such like that. I kept learning cook. When I grew up, I joined the army. Then I went to a hotel to be cook for ten years…
Sara: To get experience?
Paul: Yeah, to get experience. Eventually I opened my first restaurant in Florida. After I realized my dream, I set my goal to be excellence.
Sara: What made you come to China to open restaurants?
Paul: Well, that was actually a coincidence. I went to Beijing in 2002 for tourism. And I found there was no qualified America restaurant. I thought it was a chance for me to enter into this market. So I went about preparing the documents and location to apply for the register in Beijing.
Sara: So how do you find a location? Did you go to the Internet for research work?
Paul: No, I did this by walk…
Sara: Walk?!
Paul: Yeah, I walked around to see where is finest for my restaurant. You know the most important thing for a restaurant is Location, Location and Location.
Sara: Yeah, location is rather important for a restaurant. And your restaurant is in a commercial circle. To find such a proper site, you must walk a lot…
Paul: Yep, quite a lot… But it’s worthy, you see, there are a lot of offices around here as well as a bunch of foreigners. They want to find a place to eat original favor of American food with reasonable cost.
Sara: And did you feel exhausted sometimes?
Paul: Well, I was quite busy then. Even now, I am a busy bee. I work very hard. Just several hours later I will go to Beijing to check another restaurant in Beijing. To be honest, I sleep a little every night. But I am still healthy, because I grasp every possible chance to rest. You know, just before your interview, I slept an hour and I haven’t eaten anything until 3p.m. Yes, I am busy, but I don’t hate it. You know people become healthy not because they are lazy but busy. My father worked a lot too and he is now healthy. So I think occupy yourself with valuable things is the best way to spend your life.
Sara: How do you have such a strong passion in restaurant? You know, some youngster at our age don’t have a dream and don’t know how to realize them. So how do you be so determinate?
Paul: May I ask how old are you?
Sara: around 20
Paul: Well, when I was at your age, I read two books which really inspired me. Write down these books’ names The Power Within and The Habit of Excellence. I told everyone around me to read these books. It’s quite helpful. I used to have a dream but don’t know how to realize them. But after reading these books I realized action speaks louder than voice. I now share these books with my staff.
Sara: Speak of your staff. I find most of them are Chinese. Have you ever come across any questions when associating with Chinese?
Paul: Well, I have to say at first there was language barrier. But then we invited a native teacher to teacher them some basic English and after that they were able to serve their customers.
Sara: What if they make mistakes? Would you punish them?
Paul: Yesterday, one of my staff in the kitchen made a big mistake. He made a nasty hamburger. Because he is a newcomer and shy to ask for help, he doesn’t actually know how to make hamburgers. So I showed him the whole procedure of making a hamburger. I didn’t punish him. But if he does wrong next time, I will because I can’t afford 250 us dollars cost again.
Sara: Have you made any changes of the restaurant’s style in China compared to the one in Florida?
Paul: No. Not a slightest change. Because I want to bring the original favor of American food and I think it is what people want when coming into my restaurant.
Sara: Are there any difficulties in setting up a business here?
Paul: Not much. Just the same as what we do in west Europe.
Sara: Do you have any plan about expand your business?
Paul: Yes. I plan to relocate my restaurant in Beijing to a more prosperous place after Olympic. And when I arrive 60, I plan to retire and write a book to teach others how to own a restaurant.
Sara: What’s the most proud time in your life?
Paul: When our restaurant in Beijing was awarded the best foreign restaurant. That’s quite a honor, especially to our foreigners.
Sara: What’s the hardest time you went through?
Paul: As I was still working as a cook in a hotel and my wife left our child and went away. At that time I had to take my child with me to work. Fortunately, my boss and colleagues all supported me and helped me go through that time.
Sara: In your view, what’s the most important thing to operate a restaurant?
Paul: Quality. Always quality. People want clean food.
Sara: Do you have any advises for our youth?
Paul: Never give up! Make it to the end of the road. There is no “impossible” in my dictionary.
Sara: Thank you. Very inspiring! Thank you for accepting our interview.
Paul: It’s my pleasure.


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