Latest news with #KKYip
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Meet the family behind the Chinese takeaway serving for almost 50 years
A Chinese takeaway has been serving the same community for almost 50 years. Dragon Palace, in Newport, was opened in 1978 by Mr KK Yip, who moved to the UK from Hong Kong in the 1960s. He left his home country with the hope of building a better life and began his journey as a dishwasher in London. Spending long hours washing dishes and pots, often squatting at the back alley of the restaurant, he would sneak glimpses of the chefs at work. His determination did not go unnoticed and he was offered an apprenticeship by the head chef. After a few years in London, he moved to Swansea to continue honing his skills. It was during this time that he faced one of his biggest challenges: reuniting his family. With great difficulty and endless paperwork, Mr Yip managed to bring his wife and eldest son to the UK. Determined to stick together and support one another, Mr Yip secured a job for Mrs Yip in the same dim sum restaurant where he worked. By day, they prepared food and by night, they raised their young son. Even while heavily pregnant with their second child, Mrs Yip never stopped working. When the time came to give birth, she made the painful decision to return to Hong Kong, where the new-born would be left in the care of grandparents, so that she could return to Swansea and continue working. This act of sacrifice was repeated for the birth of their third and fourth children. Two of the Yip children, Simon and Alan, when they were 14 and 9 respectively, who now run Dragon Palace, keeping the family's legacy alive (Image: Supplied) Three of their children were born in Hong Kong and raised by their grandparents, while their parents worked thousands of miles away to build a future they could all share. The emotional toll of those years—the longing, the guilt, the silence at the dinner table—was immense. And yet, they endured. In the 1980s, after more than a decade of perseverance and sacrifice, the Yip family was finally reunited in the UK. In 1978, with resilience, skill, and heart, Mr Yip opened the doors to Dragon Palace in Newport. More than just a takeaway, it became the heart of the family—a place where a new generation grew up behind the counter, helping out, learning the trade, and absorbing the values of hard work and dedication. Mr Yip ran Dragon Palace until the early 2000s, when he proudly passed the torch to his youngest son, who continues to carry the family's legacy forward. Mr Yip died in 2012, but his family say his spirit lives on in every dish they serve. A family spokesperson said: "For nearly five decades, Dragon Palace has stood as a proud part of the Newport community—one of the city's longest-standing Chinese takeaways still run by the same family. "We're deeply honoured to continue serving you, and it's only possible because of your support. "From our family to yours, thank you for being part of our journey."
South Wales Argus
04-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Family behind Newport takeaway celebrate almost 50 years
Dragon Palace, in Newport, was opened in 1978 by Mr KK Yip, who moved to the UK from Hong Kong in the 1960s. He left his home country with the hope of building a better life and began his journey as a dishwasher in London. Spending long hours washing dishes and pots, often squatting at the back alley of the restaurant, he would sneak glimpses of the chefs at work. His determination did not go unnoticed and he was offered an apprenticeship by the head chef. After a few years in London, he moved to Swansea to continue honing his skills. It was during this time that he faced one of his biggest challenges: reuniting his family. With great difficulty and endless paperwork, Mr Yip managed to bring his wife and eldest son to the UK. Determined to stick together and support one another, Mr Yip secured a job for Mrs Yip in the same dim sum restaurant where he worked. By day, they prepared food and by night, they raised their young son. Even while heavily pregnant with their second child, Mrs Yip never stopped working. When the time came to give birth, she made the painful decision to return to Hong Kong, where the new-born would be left in the care of grandparents, so that she could return to Swansea and continue working. This act of sacrifice was repeated for the birth of their third and fourth children. Two of the Yip children, Simon and Alan, when they were 14 and 9 respectively, who now run Dragon Palace, keeping the family's legacy alive (Image: Supplied) Three of their children were born in Hong Kong and raised by their grandparents, while their parents worked thousands of miles away to build a future they could all share. The emotional toll of those years—the longing, the guilt, the silence at the dinner table—was immense. And yet, they endured. In the 1980s, after more than a decade of perseverance and sacrifice, the Yip family was finally reunited in the UK. In 1978, with resilience, skill, and heart, Mr Yip opened the doors to Dragon Palace in Newport. More than just a takeaway, it became the heart of the family—a place where a new generation grew up behind the counter, helping out, learning the trade, and absorbing the values of hard work and dedication. Mr Yip ran Dragon Palace until the early 2000s, when he proudly passed the torch to his youngest son, who continues to carry the family's legacy forward. Mr Yip died in 2012, but his family say his spirit lives on in every dish they serve. A family spokesperson said: "For nearly five decades, Dragon Palace has stood as a proud part of the Newport community—one of the city's longest-standing Chinese takeaways still run by the same family. "We're deeply honoured to continue serving you, and it's only possible because of your support. "From our family to yours, thank you for being part of our journey."
