Homepage LIVING
At home with:
Kwoklyn Wan
“I HAPPILY HAVE A BOWL OF RICE FOR BREAKFAST AND AT THE MOMENT I AM THINKING ABOUT DIM SUM AND ROAST DUCK AND RICE – IT’S MAKING ME HUNGRY!” Kwoklyn is a professional chef, author, Kung Fu instructor and has appeared on many TV shows – he is a regular on Steph’s Packed Lunch on Channel 4. In the 1950s, his grandfather emigrated to England and settled in Leicester where he opened the first Chinese restaurant. Then in 1978, his father opened his own restaurant, The Bamboo House, which was Leicester’s first Cantonese restaurant. Kwoklyn is a third-generation chef and learnt his skills by helping out the family business by washing dishes or chopping onions. He talks to Lynda Clark about how it all began, his career and his first home Photos: Sarah Carter FTB: Tell us about your first step on the property ladder? KW: I was in my late 20s and wanted to buy my first home. It was quite a struggle as I have always been self-employed and it was difficult to get a mortgage. Luckily, I have a very good friend who was a broker and he helped and managed to get me a good deal. I had about £10,000 saved for the deposit and I bought a three-bedroom dormer bungalow in the village my parents lived in. I still own it today, so it was a very good long-term investment. FTB: Where do you live now? KW: I have recently bought a beautiful three-storey Victorian property. It needs a lot of renovation but I know a good
handyman who is doing all the work. We are living there, but as the house is absolutely massive we manage to keep out of the way of the builders most of the time. The ceilings are about 11ft high and the space is perfect – I wanted a house that we could live in but also use for work as I do a great deal of filming from home for my show on Amazon Prime, Kwoklyn’s Chinese Takeaway Kitchen, so it ticked every box. FTB: How did you career start? KW: My grandfather and then my parents had restaurants and takeaways in Leicester and it was quite normal for me to help out. It was rather like an apprenticeship as I worked as a member of staff, and although I was only about 13 and I really had no
choice, I loved it and learnt so many skills. I never wanted to be front of house so I ended up in the kitchen washing dishes or peeling vegetables. When I was older I went off and had a different career, but cooking is in my DNA and it was quite natural that I ended up being a chef. FTB: You are also really into martial arts – can you tell us about that? KW: I have studied Kung Fu for 45 years and over the years I’ve run a full-time Kung Fu school, put on a huge Martial Arts and Fitness Show at the NEC, written for just about every martial arts magazine there is and I am a recognised teacher in America. I really enjoy it and I am a second-generation Bruce Lee student, so it’s pretty special!
14 First Time Buyer June/July 2022
FTB 14-15 At Home With June-July22.indd 14
17/05/2022 13:14
