A chef's favourite restaurant for Chinese food in Edinburgh
At only 27 he has been identified as 'one to watch' by the industry, making Code Hospitality Bulletin's 30 Under 30 list for 24/25.
This week, he answers our chef Q&A.
Pictured: Jun Au, chef patron at Pomelo in Edinburgh (Image: Supplied)
What was your first kitchen job?
The Grain store in Edinburgh. It was such a great place to start out as a young chef. Carlo Coxon taught me quite a lot, and had lots of patience with me.
Where is your favourite place to eat out?
Casually? China Bowl in Newington is a great Chinese food spot.
If we are celebrating something, either Fhior as I think Scott Smith is a great chef or Fazenda on George Street. It's such a good deal, I love all you can eat restaurants.
What is your guilty pleasure meal?
Chippy steak and chips! It tastes so good, but for my health? I can compare it to putting diesel fuel in a petrol car.
Can you share a memory of your worst kitchen disaster?
I was in charge of making roasties when I was younger at a pub and used sugar instead of salt. It was so brutal, I had to throw away around four gastro trays.
Hand-ripped noodles! I don't think I would be doing what I'm doing without this dish.
Who would you say is your biggest inspiration?
It's a cliche, but my parents. In the industry? It's Calvin Eng, author of Salt Sugar MSG and Brandon Jew from Mister Jiu's in San Francisco Brandon Jew or Calvin Eng. They are the people I aspire to cook like.
What is one of your pet peeves working as a chef?
Making a mistake, then trying to hide it or make excuses. If you messed up or made a mistake, own it.
If you weren't a chef, what do you think you'd be doing with your life?
Something to do with sports, I loved playing sports at school and being in a competitive team environment.
Pictured: A selection of dishes from Pomelo in Edinburgh (Image: Supplied)
What's your favourite trick for making cooking at home easier?
When making sauces, take time to reduce stocks a little more than you think. It increases the depth of flavour of the dish
What has been the one highlight that stands out in your career so far?
Probably being named in CODE's 30 under 30 this year, or being in the OFM awards 2023.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
How to tell the difference between real and fake Labubus and where to get in the UK
The plush dolls that have become this year's must-have accessory have also caused a bit of controversy They are the plush dolls with exaggerated facial expressions that have become a global phenomenon, and unless you have been living under a rock, you will be familiar with their sharp teeth, large ears, and scruffy appearance. Labubu is the monster, elf-like creature from Chinese toy maker Pop Mark and created by Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung that has become a viral sensation, attracting celebrity fans like Rihanna and Kim Kardashian. Ordinary people are just as obsessed, with the doll hanging from bags and sitting on bedroom shelves all across the world. There have been long queues to snap up the doll, with the mania sometimes even descending into fights. But all of this begs the question - how does one get their hands on the much sought-after character? And when you do, how do you know if the Labubu is real or fake? Where to buy Labubus The best advice is to stick to authorised retailers and trusted online shops, according to Which?. In the UK, Pop Mart doesn't yet have its own dedicated retail stores, but you can buy genuine Labubu figures through Pop Mark UK, the official retailer of Labubus. Be warned, though, that stock runs out very quickly on the website, so you may have to wait for drops to land. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Pop Mart also has a TikTok shop that stocks Labubu figurines, charms, blind boxes and more. Keep an eye on Pop Mart's TikTok live streams, too, as some shoppers have reportedly had more luck bagging their Labubu that way. If you're down south, Pop Mart's new flagship has just opened at 262 Oxford Street in London. The store sells exclusive drops of the collectable Labubu dolls. Sadly, no similar, brick-and-mortar store has opened north of the border. What's more, Selfridges apparently now sells the figurines at the Pop Mart Robo Shop pop-up on the fourth floor of Selfridges London. They aren't available online from this retailer. If you're hunting for sold-out or rare Labubus, or want to buy second-hand, consider using sites like eBay, Depop, StockX, the Pop Mart store on Amazon, or other marketplace sites. How to spot a fake Labubu Although fake Labubus - nicknamed Lafufus - might seem like harmless knock-offs, they can actually be "quite dangerous," according to Grace Florell, who appeared on ITV's This Morning earlier this month to discuss the issue. "Counterfeits often don't have safety labels," Grace said. "Or might not meet the health and safety requirements that make them legal to be sold in the UK... they may contain choking hazards or have chemical warnings". Look for the Pop Mart logo Real boxes and figures will have the Pop Mart logo printed clearly - usually on the box, and often on the figure's base or tag. Real versions should also have a silhouette that lights up if you shine a UV light on to it at its feet. Check for the Pop Card Every real Labubu comes with a collector card (often called a Pop Card). It features the character's name and illustration, a QR code or serial number and Pop Mart branding. If you scan that on your phone, it will take you to a Pop Mart authentication website where you can verify your toy. If the card is missing, of low quality or generic, that's a red flag. Examine the quality Official Labubu boxes have high-resolution printing and bold colours. Watch out for blurry logos, misspelt words, thin cardboard or flimsy packaging. "Real Labubus have a box with a matte finish which is really important," Grace said. "If it's glossy or shiny, that probably means it's fake. "Fake complexions are slightly different, too. The real complexion is muted, pale, and peachy, whereas fakes can be yellow, orange, and pink. The stitching is not as good quality either, and the fur is different, too. "The real fur is soft and fluffy whereas the fake has straighter fur."
Sky News
3 hours ago
- Sky News
Labubu maker's profits soar by nearly 400% in six months as ugly-cute toys become global sensation
The makers of Labubu dolls - popular with celebrities including Rihanna and David Beckham - reported a near 400% increase in profits in the first half of this year after demand for the ugly-cute toys soared. The dolls' makers, Pop Mart, has released its half-year results as shares in the company have risen more than 230% since the beginning of 2025 - reportedly making the Chinese company more valuable than Barbie-maker Mattel, Hello Kitty parent company Sanrio and Transformers makers Hasbro combined. The Chinese toy company's sales tripled to 13.9bn yuan (£1.4bn), while net profit soared almost 400% to 4.6bn yuan (£474m) during the first six months of the year, according to the Financial Times. Around 40% of the sales are said to have come from outside China. Labubu, a toothy-grinned member of "The Monsters" series of toys designed by illustrator Kasing Lung, has become a favourite of celebrities including David Beckham, Rihanna and Dua Lipa. They have also proved difficult to get hold of for consumers after selling out at various places across the world. Pop Mart boss Wang Ning said on Wednesday that his toy company was on track to meet its targeted revenue goal of 20bn yuan (£2.06bn) in 2025, and that "30 billion (£3.10bn) this year should also be quite easy". The 38-year-old chief executive's net worth has skyrocketed since 2024, according to Forbes - from $1.8bn (£1.3bn) to $26.3bn (£19.5bn). And his company is hoping to grow further, with executives saying on Wednesday that expansion in emerging markets in the Middle East, Central Europe and Central and South America was being explored. "I think for overseas markets we're still very positive, and we also believe there's still very broad space for growth," Mr Wang said, adding that sales from North America and Asia Pacific this year would together equal China sales in 2024. In the United States, where Pop Mart currently has about 40 stores, Mr Wang said the company will begin a phase of "relatively rapid store openings" over the next year or two, with 10 more US shops expected to open by the end of this year. The company has stores in Manchester and London in the UK - as well as having pop-ups in Harrods and Hamleys. The toys can also be bought online and in vending machines called "Robo Shops" in other parts of the UK. Pop Mart's primary business is producing and selling collectible toys, many of them developed with artists and sold in "blind boxes". The packages, which tend to cost around £14 in the UK, mean consumers don't know exactly which iteration of the toy is inside. This has helped drive repeat purchases, especially from collectors who want to own complete sets of each range of toys. A collector reportedly paid 1.2m yuan (£124,000) for a human-sized limited edition Labubu at an auction in Beijing in June. Until now they have been popular as a charm that can be fastened to handbags, Pop Mart says it will this week launch a mini version of Labubu that can be attached to phones. Monster profits Pop Mart said on Tuesday "The Monsters" brought in 4.81bn yuan (£496m) in the first half of this year - accounting for 34.7% of total revenue. Four other Pop Mart toy series' earned more than 1bn yuan (£1m) during the period, including "Molly" and "Crybaby", the company said. "We expect more restocking of existing series and launch of new editions to drive earnings expansion in the second half. That said, shares likely remain overpriced as investors are overlooking the high business risk in the long run, in our view," said Jeff Zhang, an analyst at US financial services firm Morningstar. 0:42 Pop Mart was reported to have a market capital - a way of measuring a company's total value - of around £25bn earlier this year. The figure was more than the combined value of toy-making giants Sanrio (£7.5bn), Hasbro (£6.4bn), and Mattel (£4bn), according to the markets news site Sherwood News. Next in Pop Mart's sights is a Disney-esque empire with executives saying the firm is optimistic about opportunities for Pop Mart characters to star in animated films and theme park attractions, though these are not expected to contribute a large amount of direct revenue in the short term. Look out for fake Labubus The surge in demand for Labubus led UK council bosses to warn people about the dangers of buying fake versions of the dolls earlier this year. Trading Standards warned that without proper safety checks, the counterfeit toys may contain choking hazards, toxic materials, or faulty components that put children at serious risk. The organisation has seized thousands of unsafe counterfeit Labubu dolls in recent weeks - with over 2,000 confiscated from 13 retailers in North Tyneside in just one month, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) said.
Daily Record
15 hours ago
- Daily Record
Prince Andrew escapes bombshell book revelations by secretly fleeing to Balmoral
The Duke of York is having his reputation shredded again thanks to a bombshell new book which made a number of startling claims about his life. Prince Andrew has fled from Royal Lodge up to Balmoral to spend the end of summer with the rest of the Royal Family, according to reports. Andrew is having his reputation shredded once again thanks to a bombshell new book which made a number of startling claims about his life. Last time the Duke of York was embroiled in such a scandal was last December when he was linked to an alleged Chinese spy who was named following a High Court judgement. The backlash was so heavy that, to avoid being a distraction, he "honourably withdrew" from joining the Firm at their annual gathering in Sandringham last Christmas. However, as reported by the Scottish Daily Express, this time around he has been allowed to join King Charles, Queen Camilla and other members of the Royal Family at Balmoral despite facing a string of sordid revelations about him. These include allegations that he is a sex addict and ended up in a physical fight with Prince Harry. Historian Andrew Lownie's book, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, includes a number of never-before-heard stories about Andrew's life, including his close friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, as well as his mysterious financial dealings with foreign billionaires from the likes of Kazakhstan. It also details how he treated and "bullied" Palace staff, had a vulgar sense of humour and enjoyed sexual relations with other women while married to Fergie. He was also "punched in the nose" by Prince Harry during a heated fall-out, although this has been denied by Harry. According to the Daily Mail's Richard Eden, Andrew "arrived at Balmoral on Friday." He "was on his own, with none of the security he used to have. He is believed to be staying at a lodge on the estate." His arrival was three days before King Charles headed up north. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. His ex-wife Fergie and their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, will join him later this week. The monarch received an official welcome to Balmoral Castle on Monday, marking the start of his regular summer holiday in the late Queen's favourite haunt. He wore a tweed jacket and a tartan kilt, with the King also inspecting a Guard of Honour formed of Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland during a ceremony outside the Castle Gates. He greeted their mascot, Shetland pony Corporal Cruachan IV. Queen Camila was not with Charles as she was out on a shopping trip with her daughter Laura and her grandchildren in the nearby village of Ballater. The King is likely to spend most of his holiday at his beloved Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate. A source told the Mail: "It remains to be seen whether Andrew spends any time at all with his brother."
