Learn all about the iconic Chinese food favourite, East Ocean Palace

Tell us about your chef—their professional history and experience, culinary philosophy, etc. 

Chef Ng Chi Cheong, East Ocean Palace’s chief cook, is an innovator and a visionary who worked his ropes up to become one of the country’s most sought-after Cantonese cuisine master chefs. Born and raised in a humble town in Hong Kong, his passion for cooking ignited at the early age of 18. 

After mastering his culinary skills in several Hong Kong Restaurants, chef Ng Chi Cheong decided to bring his vast experience to the Philippines in the early ‘90s and helped propel the growth and popularity of the first East Ocean Restaurant in Greenhills and Century Seafood Restaurant in Manila.

Today, chef Ng Chi Cheong heads and inspires the culinary team at East Ocean Palace. He brings to the table over 30 years of culinary expertise as he continues to surprise guests with his world-class craftsmanship. Chef Ng Chi Cheong promises that every dish is an expression of excellence, passion, care, and respect.

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What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned in the business?

In an industry where food and service quality are the most sought-after criteria, we all have to agree that learning never stops. As a restaurant operator, we’ve learned to listen to all our customers and weigh in on things that we need to improve on. Subjectivity will always come into play but we make sure to recognise certain matters that require attention and corrective action.  Ignorance will bring you nowhere so we also try to look for ways to keep our customers happy and make them come back over and over again.  

What is a challenge you didn’t expect to face and how did it impact you? 

The pandemic was the biggest challenge for East Ocean Palace since we opened seven years ago. It was a curve ball that no one expected. As you know, the restaurant industry was the largest hit as dine-in was suspended by the government. We pivoted quickly to takeout options and provided an alternative online ordering system to be relevant. Luckily, we were able to weather the storm and managed to survive with the support of our loyal customers.

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What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?

Always be humble and thankful. This is the culture we have inside our organisation from our rank and files up to our chairman. Without our internal team, we will not be able to deliver the top-notch quality our customers want.  Without our customers, we would not be even talking now.  

How do you keep the restaurant and menu relevant and updated?

To keep us updated with new dishes, our marketing and culinary teams frequently visit Hong Kong to explore various food options. We get inspiration from new and old Cantonese restaurants to see how we can apply it locally. Of course, we also coordinate closely with all our food and ingredient suppliers to ensure we get the best and premium supply for our customers.  

What is your favourite part of the job? 

As the overall manager of East Ocean, I enjoy interacting with people; internally and externally.  When I engage with people, I listen and understand their points because I learn on behalf of the team. Having an open mind puts us in a very good situation because this pushes us to be better every day. 

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What advice would you give your younger self when starting out in the industry?

Learn as much as you can in the industry you’re partaking. Always put your heart into whatever you do because passion will lead you to success. Every day should be a learning day.

What do you think makes your restaurant unique? 

I don’t think we’re unique since our competitors somewhat serve the same cuisine. However, I’d like to believe we’re different in the sense that we exceed the expectations of our customers by providing them with the best ingredients, the freshest catch and the most sumptuous dishes we can give. We don’t settle for mediocrity. As the saying goes, go big or go home. 

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When East Ocean Palace nabbed a coveted spot in this year’s Tatler Dining 20, the room erupted in cheers and applause from your fellow peers. The restaurant is truly an industry favourite—why do you think that is?

Thank you for the prestigious award. We’re very honoured and thankful, until now. I guess all the people in the industry appreciated how hard it is to run a large-scale operation like ours. This business is definitely not for the weak. We still have bumps here and there, but we know we’re here for a purpose.   

How have you built such a stellar reputation and loyal following?

People will start talking about you when they try out your restaurant and leave full and delighted. But people will talk more when they’re disappointed with their dining experience. We keep this in mind all the time and put customer satisfaction above all. Again, we don’t settle for mediocrity because all our customers are very discerning and quality-conscious. Serving consistent, high-quality Cantonese dishes will keep our customers coming back.

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