中英文翻译NOFRILL NOODLE KING TARGETS WESTERN GROUPS文档.docVIP

NO-FRILL NOODLE KING TARGETS WESTERN GROUPS 2008年06月20日 00:00 AM NO-FRILL NOODLE KING TARGETS WESTERN GROUPS Alan Yau, the founder of Wagamama, has done well for somebody who hates to cook. Having made his name with the creation of the Japanese noodle bar chain (which he sold reluctantly in 1998) the Hong Kong-born entrepreneur has gone on to build a multi-million pound British restaurant empire In addition to Busaba Eathai, a canteen-styled Thai restaurant named by Time Out magazine as one of the best places to eat in London, the 45-year-old is behind Hakkasan and Yauatcha, two upmarket Chinese restaurants that each hold a Michelin star. More recently, he has returned to his roots to create cheaper food for the masses with the opening last month of Cha Cha Moon in Londons West End, which amounts to his take on the menus at Hong Kongs traditional?dai pai dongs?(no-frill street noodle stands). In January, the publicity-shy Mr Yau found himself in the spotlight after he sold a majority stake in Hakkasan and Yauatcha to Tasameem, the property arm of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, for $60m (￡31m). The sale, from which Mr Yau supposedly made a large profit, was the first of a series of similar deals involving high-profile individuals and luxury dining establishments. Well-known restaurant chains Nobu, a sushi chain favoured by celebrities, and DD London, Sir Terence Conrans restaurant group, have been put up for sale since. This has led some in the business to wonder if restaurant owners are calling the top of the market. “Not at all,” says Mr Yau in an interview. “It doesnt matter if we sell on the downturn or the upturn of the business cycle because this end of the market is so exclusive it will always attract certain type of buyers regardless of market conditions.” Slipping easily between English and Cantonese, he says Middle East investors have shown a keen interest in buying restaurants with upmarket brands because they fit well with the luxury mall