Our Timeline
Established in 1982, Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen was one of the pioneers of manufacturing Dim Sum in Australia, initially as a bespoke supplier of handmade Dim Sum to Yum Cha restaurants throughout Sydney. As our company grew from word of mouth, we started to package our products to make them available for retail.
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How it all started
Our founder Kok Ching Ho (Dad) enters the Dim Sum profession at the age of 14 by working as a pastry chef assistant/kitchen hand in Yum Cha restaurants in Hong Kong. He does this to help make ends meet, as the family of 11 siblings had fled from Nam Hoi China, to Hong Kong in 1942, to flee the impending WW2 and to start a new life.
1978
Sydney, Australia here we come!
Having honed his culinary skills for over two decades, Dad sees a better future abroad and weighs up the big city aspirations of USA, versus the lush, untapped island of Australia. Through word of mouth, he is offered the Head Chef position of Yum Cha at 9 Nine Dragons Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, Sydney. He decides to accept.
1982
Its now official
7 days/7 nights a week
Fueled by an intense passion to showcase his original recipes to the people of Australia, Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen is established as a small shop on 732 George Street, Haymarket as a husband and wife team. They approached Chinese restaurants in Sydney to supply them with Cantonese entrees/ Dim Sum that many considered time-consuming and meticulous. e.g. BBQ Pork Buns. Everything was made by hand during the day and steamed using towers of jumbo sized bamboo steamers. Deliveries were done at night.
1991
From hole in the
wall to food factory
Lease on the building is up with plans to turn it into what is now the Capitol Theatre. Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen acquires a 500 sqm factory in Marrickville and expands it operations.
2000
All-In
Sydney Olympics. Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen is contracted to supply Dim Sum to the athletes village, to be served as a Yum Cha breakfast. This also marks our first major investment in commercial equipment, as we buy a commerical steamer and drastically improve our production capacity. We also say goodbye to our jumbo-sized bamboo steamers.
2012
Second
generation
The four sons, Jeremy, Jason, Kerry and Kenny take the helm of Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen, to build upon the family legacy. Raised in the family business, they have a grassroots understanding of the operations. Dad can still be seen on the floor overseeing all his recipes!
2023
As passionate
from day one
Moving to a larger factory again in 2012, also in Marrickville, Hong Kong Dim Sim Kitchen continues to make its products from scratch, only we're much more efficient. The pork that goes into our BBQ Pork Buns is still roasted in-house using a custom built, open-flame furnace. By doing this we lose 20% of the weight of our pork, but we wouldn't have it any other way. Authenticity has a price. We are a committed to building a brand that our customers will know they are eating the real deal.