Man Hon Luk, a 44-year-old former record shop owner, is opening Hon's BBQ in Hackney Wick on Friday, July 17, after a chance encounter with a Michelin-starred chef led him to completely change his life. The restaurant, located in a converted warehouse above Crate Brewery at Queen's Yard, will serve Asian-inspired Texas barbecue, marking a major milestone for the self-taught pitmaster who started with a single smoker bought on eBay.
From poker trip to pitmaster
In 2021, Hon booked a poker trip to Austin, Texas, never expecting it would lead to a restaurant. A dinner at Michelin-starred restaurant Interstellar inspired him to pursue barbecue. He had run Vinyl Pimp, a second-hand record shop, for nearly 20 years but grew bored. In 2022, he moved to the USA for two months to learn from acclaimed chef John Bates. He then built a following in London through pop-ups and a two-year residency at venue All My Friends.
“I’d not had any professional training and before this I’d really only cooked for people at home,” Hon told MyLondon. “I’ve done a lot of things in the past – selling vinyl, poker, taking photos – but something in my head just clicked with this.”
Menu and atmosphere
The sharing menu combines traditional barbecue techniques with Asian flavours inspired by Hon's Hong Kong heritage. Items include Xi'an-style lamb shoulder, Taiwanese pork belly, and smoked mac and cheese with Chinese sausage. Past bestsellers like Sichuan beef short ribs are also available. Hon called the ribs his personal favourite: “It’s tender, it’s got the spiciness, the numbness of the Sichuan pepper. It’s the best combo of barbecue in one dish – everyone should try it.”
The restaurant will also feature live-fire cooking, a wine and cocktail list from Brat's sommelier, and late-night music with DJs and live performances on weekends. Hon said, “You can expect very juicy meat cooked in an environment that is energetic and beautiful at the same time.”
Funding and future
The canal-side restaurant became a reality after a successful Kickstarter campaign raised £36,000 for kitchen infrastructure and sound equipment. Hon said, “People have to put a lot of faith in us to put the money in and I’m really grateful for that.” Despite a tough time for hospitality, Hon is confident: “Everyone has less money to spend but people still need to eat. As long as I can maintain the standard and make something tasty, I hope they will continue to choose us. The restaurants that are surviving are at the top of their game, consistent, creative and giving the customer good value. I know we can do it.”
