Coffee-Loving Hong Kong Barista Makes a Fresh Start in the UK

Eddie Chan, a barista from 2003, left Hong Kong in 2022 and took his wife and daughter to the UK. While in a foreign land, he continued his love for Hong Kong with his cups of coffee and delivered his part of the Hong Kong culture to the UK.

From the ‘Pearl of Orient’ to an English City

Mr. Chan’s relationship with coffee began in 2003. At that time, he was a media person who loved photography. He and his friends opened a creative coffee shop in Hong Kong, which not only provided coffee but also displayed photography works. In 2012, he introduced the “coffee for film development” technology to Hong Kong for the first time, using coffee instead of traditional chemical solutions for developing black and white films.

“Actually, it’s very interesting. Hong Kong people are very accustomed to it, and it is quite typical whether you go to a coffee shop, or a coffee parlor, or a Western restaurant in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is actually a place with a mixture of cultures. Everything you eat is fusion,” said Mr. Chan, talking about Hong Kong’s gourmet food.

In Mr. Chan’s view, running a coffee shop is not just about making money, but also an excellent opportunity to “make friends over coffee.” He did make many friends, one of whom was Mango Naoko, an illustrator from Japan. Ms. Mango was deeply impressed by the unique atmosphere of his coffee shop and created a postcard with the cat as the protagonist and sent it to Eddie, vividly depicting the daily life in his coffee shop. This postcard also shows the deep friendship between him and Ms. Mango.

Ms. Mango, the Japanese illustrator, penned her art in the coffee shop and caught Eddie’s attention. Courtesy of Eddie Chan

Ms. Mango was not just a frequent visitor to the coffee shop, but also a good partner of Mr. Chan on his road to entrepreneurship. Over the years, Ms. Mango has become a well-known illustrator in Hong Kong, and Mr. Chan’s coffee shop has always supported her creations and sold her works. The aroma of coffee and art were intertwined in this “One Little Room.”

A photo of illustrator Ms. Mango (L) and Eddie (R). Courtesy of Eddie Chan

After the “anti-extradition” movement in 2019, Hong Kong’s political and economic situation worsened. Shop closures came one after another, and many “pro-movement” shops were forced to close.

“I said goodbye and promised to return someday.” This seemingly optimistic farewell concealed Mr. Chan’s inner helplessness and confusion. It is not just a coffee shop that is being bid farewell to; it is also a part of his life in Hong Kong. There is much uncertainty in what lay ahead, and Mr. Chan could only embark on an unknown journey with this reluctance and confusion.

This ‘One Little Room’ in the UK Exudes Hong Kong Aroma

Mr. Chan emigrated to Nottingham, a city in the UK Midlands, and started from scratch.

“Actually, I didn’t do anything special in the first year after I came to the UK. I mainly took care of my daughter and wanted to settle down at ease,” he said.

As a newcomer to a foreign place, Mr. Chan felt confused due to the language barrier, cultural differences, and other differences. But he could hardly forget the “coffee dream” deep in his heart, and he was eager to find a new beginning in the foreign country.

“Because I used to make coffee in Hong Kong, I really wanted to drink coffee everywhere and found different coffee shops to visit,” he said.

By chance, Mr. Chan discovered a community coffee shop that was looking for a new owner. This small shop reminded him of the “One Little Room.” He decided to take over the coffee shop and named it “Espresso Gallery,” hoping to continue his coffee dream in a foreign land.

Eddie Chan took over a British community coffee shop, named it “Espresso Gallery,” to continue his coffee dream in a foreign country. Courtesy of Eddie Chan

He retained the original signage and employees, hoping to let locals feel the warmth and history of the shop. At the same time, he also incorporated elements from Hong Kong, such as decorating the walls with pages from the “Oxford Dictionary” to make Hong Kong clients feel more at home there.

Mr. Chan brought the characteristics of Hong Kong coffee shops to the UK. The shop not only has a creative menu that combines Chinese and Western elements, but also has a “hidden menu” specially reserved for Hong Kong people, such as potato cakes, preserved sausage with spaghetti, and the like. The taste of these hometown delicacies can always bring back nostalgia and memories deep in the hearts of those who left their hometowns.

The hidden menu of the British coffee shop is spaghetti fried with preserved Chinese sausages mixed with pepper. Courtesy of Eddie Chan

British coffee shop’s special dish during the New Year is a Swatow (Chiuchow) style potato cake. Courtesy of Eddie Chan

Mr. Chan’s coffee shop not only provides delicious food but also serves as a “gathering place” for Hong Kong people in a foreign land, a warm home. With his persistence in providing the taste of Hong Kong and his passion for cooking, Eddie continues to experiment in the kitchen, using British ingredients to try to restore the delicious taste of his hometown in his memory.

With its unique Asian flavor and warm atmosphere, Mr. Chan’s coffee shop has attracted increasing numbers of Hong Kong immigrants and local British customers. He used food and coffee to build a cultural bridge connecting Hong Kong and the UK.

Documenting Hong Kong and Connecting the World

In 2023, Mr. Chan held a Hong Kong photojournalism exhibition called “Focus at the Frontline” in a coffee shop. The exhibition displays the photojournalistic works of the Hong Kong Press Photographers Association in 2021, which record the changes in Hong Kong society and the lives of the people.

Hong Kong Press Photographers Association’s 2021 Hong Kong Press Photo Exhibition. Courtesy of Eddie Chan

“(The response) was very good. Some people came here specifically to see it and knew that we had an exhibition, others came across it by chance. But when they saw it, they all felt that we should encourage each other, and they all agreed that such an event would be useful,” he said

This photography exhibition attracted many Hong Kong immigrants and British people. The British can understand the current situation in Hong Kong through these photos, while Hong Kong immigrants find resonance and comfort in them. This is not just a visual feast but also a bridge connecting Hong Kong and the UK and promoting cultural exchanges.

In running a coffee shop, Mr. Chan not only found a new direction in his career but also regained balance in his life. But he knew that he was not the only one affected by the changes brought about by this wandering journey.

Eddie Chan with his child in England. Courtesy of Eddie Chan

The Joy of Slowing Down: Enjoying Coffee and Ordinary Life

“At the end of each business day [in Hong Kong], I closed the shop, while my wife went home after finishing work. It was often after eight o’clock in the evening that we would have dinner. After that, the kid would take a bath, and she didn’t go to bed until after 11 o’clock. Going to bed after 11 o’clock and getting up after 7 o’clock the next day, it’s actually a fight every day, which made her feel uneasy.”

The pace of life in England allows the Chan family to slow down a bit. They spend more time together as a family, and he enjoys more opportunities to “date” with his wife and more fun playing in the park with his kid. Life has become simpler, more natural, and more enjoyable.

Eddie said frankly that the drifting life has taught him to cherish the present and be grateful for life. He also realizes that dreams do not have to be grand, and that one can always find happiness in ordinary life.

“I would describe myself as lucky (very lucky). I have come across some people who left Hong Kong and find it difficult to really adapt to living in a new place. It’s never easy after growing up and living in one place for decades, and then suddenly going to another place.”

Mr. Chan hopes to continue running his coffee shop and providing a warm haven for the local community and Hong Kong immigrants. He also looks forward to having the chance to work with Ms. Mango again so that more people can appreciate Hong Kong’s cultural charm.