Why He Left China to Live in Singapore (and open a British Hainanese Restaurant)

Jimmy moved to Singapore 60 years ago from China via a 7-day journey on a ship. He learned English and cooking from British chefs back then and eventually opened a British Hainanese Restaurant. Why did he move to Singapore? What was the journey like? Why start a F&B business?
Thank you @wikipedia for making knowledge accessible and providing it for free! Learn more about Wikimania from this linke wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/...
Check out Jimmy's restaurant here!
Prince Coffee House goo.gl/maps/S5wBbPLj9EHqNjdD7
Chapters
00:00 Food Review at Prince Coffee
03:58 7-day Ship Journey to Singapore
11:25 Why Start a British Haianese Restaurant?
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Пікірлер: 111

  • @toyoyoyo104
    @toyoyoyo10411 ай бұрын

    This chap should have 2 million subscribers. He makes such great content. 👍

  • @GhibOjisan

    @GhibOjisan

    11 ай бұрын

    Thanks😁

  • @smliangjl
    @smliangjl11 ай бұрын

    The immigrants from Hainan came to SG later compared to other ethnic group. They either worked as Chefs in Restaurants or helper in a British families. They learnt from the them Western cookings and in corporate into local taste. That’s why they created one of the famous pork chop with tomatoes sauces.

  • @samuelsim7857

    @samuelsim7857

    11 ай бұрын

    Spot on. The Hainanese were also crucial players in nurturing the coffee shop culture in Singapore. Dishes like kaya toast, which is something ubiquitous here, is another example of how they have shaped our local culinary landscape.

  • @dansharpe2364

    @dansharpe2364

    3 ай бұрын

    Thank you. I grew up in Hong Kong (I'm a gweilo) and I was wondering if Jimmy may have been a chef on Royal Navy or British merchant navy ships. Your answer explains things.

  • @kiasu69
    @kiasu6911 ай бұрын

    Just went there for the first time and the food is good and nostalgic. Jimmy is rather friendly and hardworking ... serving us, bringing the food, etc. Will patronize again.

  • @simplyme3306
    @simplyme330611 ай бұрын

    Most of the older folks travelled by sea from that region of China back in those days. My grandfather was hastily sent by his father via the sea to Malaysia to escape the war in China, Guangdong. He travelled to Malaysia on the ship to Msia alone leaving behind his family. My father said he often recounted his story with tears in his eyes. He passed away 10+ years ago at the ago of 100 peacefully in his sleep with no major illness etc. (very amazing!).

  • @rinobase0807
    @rinobase080711 ай бұрын

    50過ぎのおじさんです。 実はジブリおじさんが 世界を旅しながらギターを弾いていた頃(もう数年前かな)すごく耳に心地が良くて聞いていました。また企画も良かったです。 そして音楽が少なくなり少しずつ忘れていきました。 しかし、その時ジブおじさんがよく弾いてた【風になる】は唯一知らない曲で(あの映画見なかったので知りませんでした)他の曲を弾いてくれることを望んでいました。しかし この曲がどんどん体に沁みてきて今では大好きな曲のひとつになりました。今日、KZreadに【つじあやのの風になる】が上がってきました。同時にジブおじさんが頭によぎり 何してるのかな?と懐かしい青春時代😅を思い浮かべるかのような気持ちが思い出されすぐに見に来た次第です。さらに凄い活躍ぶりに驚きました。それにギター弾いてる動画の再生回数本人のつじあやのさんの動画より多いって・・驚きました。 ここ最近 もう1人同じ気持ちにさせてくれた懐かしいKZreadrさんがいました。私は滅多にないこの懐かしい心地良く通り過ぎる気持ちにさせてくれたお二人に心から感謝したいです。ありがとうございます😊 さらなるご活躍を願ってます。 長文すみませんでした。失礼します。

  • @IZTheOne
    @IZTheOne11 ай бұрын

    Yay! An interview finally with the other Mr. Jimmy! Glad he's willing to share his life experience from Hainan to Singapore. Great work bro! Keep it up!

  • @ip3vk
    @ip3vk11 ай бұрын

    My father took a ship to visit his relative in China in the 1960s because airplane was not possible during that time. Many hainanese who came to S'pore worked for the British & learned the skill of western cooking.

  • @shanicestella2226
    @shanicestella222611 ай бұрын

    The Restaurant Looks Like Breathing In Classical History vibe while entering there

  • @simbeekuan4056
    @simbeekuan405611 ай бұрын

    Kudos for people from China who made good in SG. Thank you Ghib for recommending such a gem in SG

  • @sara.cbc92
    @sara.cbc9211 ай бұрын

    Ghib is a very good guy. Thanks for interviewing the Chinese diaspora living in Singapore.

  • @AmbientWalking
    @AmbientWalking11 ай бұрын

    Wonderful! Thank you so much for this! Really happy to spend time with your work. Love your channel. Keep it up!

  • @miyazakihiroshi2548
    @miyazakihiroshi254811 ай бұрын

    今回のジミーさん、ホンマまさにシンガポールドリームを体現した偉大な人物って感じで好感が持てて彼みたいな年の取り方したいなと素直に思った‼️あと今回みたいな動画はこれからもぜひ続けて欲しいね‼️最後にジミーさんのチキンパイは是非とも食ってみたい😋

  • @edwinwee267
    @edwinwee26711 ай бұрын

    Love thos concept. More of such local stories. Adds the special spice to the food, People and places of interest. Well Done!!

  • @wl4006
    @wl400611 ай бұрын

    Thanks for this clip . Have visited Jimmy's restaurant, the food is authentic and super delicious. Jimmy is very friendly and always engages with his customers. Such a gem.

  • @KelvinCrLin
    @KelvinCrLin11 ай бұрын

    Oh u came here again!!! the first time years back you make a video on the prawn noodle shop beside and the owner keep invited you over, and you went in. hahaha~ ~ good video

  • @calvincheecs
    @calvincheecs11 ай бұрын

    Ghib san, How in the world did you discover this gem? 😊 I definitely need to visit Jimmy’s Restaurant. The food he serves is so familiar to me. My late mother was Hainanese, and she used to cook the exact same type of pork chop. What Jimmy says about the character of Hainanese ppl is so true. Thanks for the recommendation!

  • @filochi

    @filochi

    11 ай бұрын

    try their lemon chicken, hot plate tofu. all very nice

  • @ella9693

    @ella9693

    11 ай бұрын

    @pi2piHi, do you happen to remember what video this is?

  • @GhibOjisan

    @GhibOjisan

    11 ай бұрын

    Yea he just came over to talk to me during a stream haha!

  • @GhibOjisan

    @GhibOjisan

    11 ай бұрын

    Here ya go! 23:07 of this stream kzread.infotImADFu95nM?si=wNLZ0E1w9YNOe9di

  • @calvincheecs

    @calvincheecs

    11 ай бұрын

    @@filochi if my stomach permits- I going to try all on the menu with my kakis

  • @yumi_928
    @yumi_92811 ай бұрын

    Thank you Ghib for recommending this place! Will definitely bring my parents to try it 🥰❤ my grandparents also took a ship from Hainan to SG to work here last time..I feel Hainanese eatery is getting lesser and lesser as well..and usually if Hainanese heard another person speak in Hainanese, automatically they will feel like family because the dialect is so rare in SG now 🥲

  • @gabbyfoo2
    @gabbyfoo211 ай бұрын

    Thanks for sharing such an iconic "Special Hainanese restaurant"...I'm Eastern European and my husband, Singaporean Hainanese, love Makan..Makan.......Australia

  • @jaychow57
    @jaychow5711 ай бұрын

    Great episode ghib

  • @lighthousefd8122
    @lighthousefd812211 ай бұрын

    I will always order the oxtail stew dish with a side of plain white rice and some cilipadi 10/10. They were previously at Coronation Plaza and followed them to their current location on Beach Road.

  • @MrGee89

    @MrGee89

    11 ай бұрын

    omg is this the same shop? I used to eat there every weekend! Really loved the pork chops. Was so sad when I saw that it had closed, and I've actually walked past this shop a few times without knowing that

  • @sansoo4976
    @sansoo497611 ай бұрын

    wow i now want to visit jimmys restaurant, ur wonderful to be able to find such a traditional restaurant

  • @dennistani1986
    @dennistani198610 ай бұрын

    Ghib, thanks for sharing the story of Jimmy and his great food. Awesome video!

  • @tkyap2524
    @tkyap252411 ай бұрын

    A pioneer in his craft. He has passed down his skill. The best of health to him.

  • @JenHope113
    @JenHope11311 ай бұрын

    Yes, my dad at 11 years old arrived in Singapore in 1936 from Fijian province by ship as well.

  • @daviseverywhere
    @daviseverywhere11 ай бұрын

    Let’s support this small biz! Pass by almost everyday but don’t see much crowd 😢

  • @pigeonsg4837
    @pigeonsg483711 ай бұрын

    I love that you are excavating the little gem stones of Singapore

  • @richardthong8788
    @richardthong878811 ай бұрын

    Mr Ghib is always funny and candid. Especially when he asked "why not take SQ plane to Singapore?". Lol!!

  • @wendyshoowaiching4161
    @wendyshoowaiching416111 ай бұрын

    My grand grand grandfather took a ship from China to Malaysia too.

  • @haruhi7745
    @haruhi774511 ай бұрын

    Welcome Back. Ah so cool video. It is so cool that a lot of people love to stay in Singapore. Ah so nice topics and story. 😌👍🌷💙🤍

  • @silenthill5922
    @silenthill592211 ай бұрын

    My wife and my in-laws are Hainanese and are also in the food business. I am sharing this excellent, as usual, video with them because i am sure that they can relate to it. Domo arigato gozaimasu, Ghib Oji-san!

  • @aRVeesBlog
    @aRVeesBlog11 ай бұрын

    wow very nice content friend

  • @sachi1723
    @sachi172311 ай бұрын

    ジミーさんのお店再び見られて嬉しいです。いつかシンガポールに行ったら訪れたいです。 ジミーさんにもドラマがありますね。

  • @sujaniaslam2428
    @sujaniaslam242811 ай бұрын

    Hi Ghib hi 2nd uncle Jimmy 😅, wah Ghib i think Coffee is my secret lover, cant start a day without drinking coffee, 😂, uncle Jimmy place is worth a visit one day or recomend to friends, thks for the vlog Ghib, 👍😬

  • @paecpc
    @paecpc11 ай бұрын

    Yes, it’s true, my partner and I had visited Jimmy’s restaurant a couple of years ago and he was such a friendly person, taking time to talk to us and explaining his dishes. I can see Ghib San put in a lot of effort in engaging Jimmy during the interview, 👍 ❤

  • @reddotdiva
    @reddotdiva11 ай бұрын

    Oh, it's my fave Hainanese western food uncle at Beach Road! I looooove looove love his pork chop! Thanks for featuring him!

  • @iAxianguy
    @iAxianguy11 ай бұрын

    Such a wholesome story, nice! 🙂👍

  • @GhibOjisan

    @GhibOjisan

    11 ай бұрын

    Glad you enjoyed it!

  • @jn5962
    @jn596211 ай бұрын

    Thanks! I'm Hainanese and I will certainly try Uncle Jimmy's ox-tail dish plus.......

  • @yourtrustedpersonalityguide
    @yourtrustedpersonalityguide5 ай бұрын

    I've been watching a couple of your videos lately and really love it. Your sense of humour is second to none🙂Thank you for showing us some amazing food in Singapore that some locals do not even know. I'm going to try this coffee house when I'm in Singapore this summer (as well as the muslim food located at Jalan Pisang recommended in your other video)

  • @GhibOjisan

    @GhibOjisan

    5 ай бұрын

    Glad you enjoy them 😁

  • @silverchairsg
    @silverchairsg11 ай бұрын

    Yep lots of folks came from various regions of China (chiefly the Hokkiens from Fujian province and Cantonese folk from Guangzhou, forming the two largest dialect groups in SG) to Singapore in the colonial or early independence days. They typically worked as coolies and patronized their clan associations for welfare and company. Some of these clan associations like Hokkien Huay Kuan are still around nowadays, and are in fact super rich and even have their own affiliated schools.

  • @aichoontan3238
    @aichoontan323810 ай бұрын

    烏节路的邵式大厦,还有一间西歺馆,名叫“船”the ship, 是碩果仅存的一间海南西歺馆,也是我的最爱 ❤❤的海南人经营的西歺馆,好好吃哦,有我爸爸的味道,我的老爸也是一位出包色的西歺大廚師,怀念我的爸爸哦,他已回天家🏡了。😂😂

  • @wendyshoowaiching4161
    @wendyshoowaiching416111 ай бұрын

    Wah! uncle still have passion to cook.

  • @dawnho7744
    @dawnho774411 ай бұрын

    The pioneer generation and the baby-boomers had no other way to come to Singapore but by boat and the boats in those days were small, badly ventilated or not ventilated at all. Taking days to arrive was the norm in those days. Ghib, this restaurant is the last few of its kind. Uncle Jimmy's chicken pie is probably one of the last few in Singapore that's affordable and loaded with chicken chunks, and one of the most flavourful.

  • @kevinkuok9131
    @kevinkuok913111 ай бұрын

    Damn! I am hungry again and it's just before midnight.....

  • @brandenongkp
    @brandenongkp11 ай бұрын

    Will drop over and try .

  • @jessicahan6274
    @jessicahan627411 ай бұрын

    What a lovely man ❤

  • @stephen2429
    @stephen242911 ай бұрын

    Arab St, memories of going there as a young British soldier. There was small tailors shops making military clothing and equipment. Often got some local food there too. I also remember a cage with a massive snake inside at one of the street junctions. How things have changed. Loved my time in Singapore, been back a few times, even to my old camp Nee Soon in Transit Rd.

  • @GhibOjisan

    @GhibOjisan

    11 ай бұрын

    Would love to have a chat with you for my channel if you don’t mind! Please email me if you’re visiting Singapore! ghib.ojisan@gmail.com

  • @stephen2429

    @stephen2429

    11 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the invite, haven't any immediate plans to return to Singapore, but I will be back. I've also had people from my Regiment returning and finding the houses they grew up in when their families were there. Chip Bee estate rings a bell.

  • @1makeufreak
    @1makeufreak11 ай бұрын

    This is good

  • @huihuangloh5030
    @huihuangloh503011 ай бұрын

    Really good recommended 👍 must try 😋 this uncle same with my father taking the small boat from China 7days 7night to here 👏

  • @metallooily7606
    @metallooily760611 ай бұрын

    You're a good food Vblogger

  • @Zayn-jc4zt
    @Zayn-jc4zt11 ай бұрын

    His food looks clean, fresh and delicious. Wished he could open up a new shop with halal certified one as well.

  • @joycegoh8628
    @joycegoh862811 ай бұрын

    I wish Uncle Jimmy best of health so he can continue to make delicious pies!

  • @user-gu9rg8pv4s
    @user-gu9rg8pv4s11 ай бұрын

    いつも楽しい動画をありがとうございます。

  • @haroldkoh8624
    @haroldkoh862411 ай бұрын

    Prince Coffee House was at Coronation Plaza (Bukit Timah) before present premises. Food was great and their huge pies real value for money, packed full of ingredients.

  • @clarencelim135
    @clarencelim13511 ай бұрын

    Half of my family originates from Hainan Island; source from my grandmother: Most Hainan people who came to Singapore worked as maids or chefs for British families (My grandmother worked as a maid for a British Family!), they adapted their Chinese food to British tastes, which is why some stuff like Sweet and Sour pork exists (If you go to Hainan Island today, you will find they mostly eat fresh seafood). The food's origin is a bit more complex than that, but apparently this also explains the Pineapple/baked beans usage which is uncommon in almost all other forms of Singaporean Chinese food.

  • @user-oe5kw7do6k
    @user-oe5kw7do6k10 ай бұрын

    SG is like a refugee island to the many early immigrants in the old days. Then it was part of Malaya. After independence, thanks to their hard work and wisdom of LKY, SG survived and prospered to this day.

  • @jasyillnel4402
    @jasyillnel440211 ай бұрын

    Ghib ojisan love many jimmy ah. Next up is mr beast😅

  • @PradeepRaajkumar1981
    @PradeepRaajkumar198111 ай бұрын

    Please visit SOUTH INDIAN Diners in Singapore- Telugu cuisine, Tamil cuisine, Kerala Cuisine, Karantaka Cuisine all have different varationsand Little India too - Vegetarian, Meat, Poultry,Seafood.. Do check out the desserts in Singapore.. Tamil cuisine is popular there... Xie Xie Ne.. I lived in Melbourne Australia - 2007 to 2019- Love Cantonese & Schezwan cuisine... Love Chinese desserts

  • @kenling1340
    @kenling134011 ай бұрын

    すごく勉強になりました。ありがとうございます。 シリーズ化、期待してます。御礼まで。

  • @prst99
    @prst9911 ай бұрын

    I love his chicken pie

  • @goddanner
    @goddanner11 ай бұрын

    His food is really gooood

  • @watataenjoyer
    @watataenjoyer29 күн бұрын

    Its pretty normal. I had an uncle that ship could not make it into SEA because of wind they ended up in hong Kong

  • @thomaslee3396
    @thomaslee339611 ай бұрын

    You must try another British Hainan restaurant @75,Carpmael Road for the ox-tail stew. Decor in the cafe is very retro too!

  • @weekuah
    @weekuah11 ай бұрын

    Those days the poor could only travel by ships , my dad came here by ship too. It was terrible experience.

  • @lilytea3
    @lilytea310 ай бұрын

    0:43: 😊 This video tells the inspiring story of Jimmy, a British-Chinese restaurant owner in Singapore, who embarked on a seven-day ship journey from Hainan, China to Singapore at a young age. 3:22: 🍽 The video discusses the Hainanese pork chop dish and the speaker's life before coming to Singapore. 8:28: 🌍 Wikimania is a non-profit organization that provides free and accessible knowledge to everyone around the world. 11:13: 🍲 Jimmy, the owner of a famous restaurant in Singapore, shares his journey of starting his own business and the love he receives from customers around the world. 15:48: 🥧 The video features Jimmy, a retired chef in Singapore, showcasing his signature pie and yam cake. Recap by Tammy AI

  • @ireneho3098
    @ireneho309811 ай бұрын

    Ghib, you should interview the last surviving trade of selling "Kachang puteh" in toa payoh bus interchange. "Kachang puteh" are peanuts sold in a paper wrap style. This indian man is the second generation plying his trade originally in peace centre in penang road.

  • @estherfoo4116
    @estherfoo411610 ай бұрын

    Yes, those are the very authentic Hainanese foods 😋. Ghib San always sounds very cute; he also sounds like a S’porean got sg slang 😅

  • @5kplamse
    @5kplamse11 ай бұрын

    thats why its not wrong to say Singapore succeeded due to its majority Chinese population. where else in the world do you find a race so full of resilience, diligence, ingenuity, flexibility ?

  • @mosqutio88
    @mosqutio8811 ай бұрын

    Great content! My great great grandfather escaped then British Hong Kong for San Francisco and founded multiple restaurants across California and the Midwest and produced 50 biological children 😂

  • @obiwan88
    @obiwan8811 ай бұрын

    Went down today, but store was closed.

  • @goggles7777
    @goggles777711 ай бұрын

    Ghib ojisan! STB should come to U

  • @markshen3280
    @markshen328011 ай бұрын

    Hey, Ojib. Many Chinese escaped communism in China before the Second World War and either secretly went out by boats through treacherous journeys or on foot to Hong Kong 🇭🇰, Malaysia 🇲🇾, or Singapore 🇸🇬.

  • @sglatitude
    @sglatitude8 ай бұрын

    This restaurant serves delicious, tasty meal and yet affordable. It’s simply “FoodKing” good 😂

  • @mingjie1765
    @mingjie17659 ай бұрын

    Is this the mr beast of singapore

  • @deanzaZZR
    @deanzaZZR11 ай бұрын

    Please continue your Chinese language learning so you can speak directly with Jimmy and other Singapore elders. 一定會呀.

  • @aichoontan3238
    @aichoontan323810 ай бұрын

    请问这间歺馆在新加坡哪里?我是新加坡海南人,谢谢了。❤❤

  • @aichoontan3238
    @aichoontan323810 ай бұрын

    我的祖父母及父亲,也是从中国海南岛,飘洋过海来到新加坡的。😂😂

  • @shanyenee8128
    @shanyenee812811 ай бұрын

    Address please?😊

  • @lyhthegreat
    @lyhthegreat11 ай бұрын

    another uncle jimmy lol

  • @johnong75
    @johnong7511 ай бұрын

    No good. Elder will be blamed for Lubricating china. China is very sensitive when Lubrication is involved.

  • @momshioks
    @momshioks11 ай бұрын

    You should have called him Uncle Jimmy, as a gesture of great respect and kindness to the successful Chef, right?

  • @Crystal628
    @Crystal62811 ай бұрын

    Many decade ago, immigrants were very poor, but now immigrants are well off.

  • @sususegar
    @sususegar11 ай бұрын

    Sorry but the route to SEA and the reason for leaving China isn't exactly very unique. Almost all Chinese came down here by sea - my grandparents, not Hainanese, also did the same way. Many of those who came from the same village used to settle within an area together, many were poor and weren't very educated, and many left China for the same reason which is war and famine.

  • @johnchan3765
    @johnchan376511 ай бұрын

    Wat so surprising that people travelled by ship more than half a century ago? Heard of the Titanic? Aircraft travel was still at an early stage then ... n expensive ... It certainly did not take 7hrs to travel from Tokyo to SG then as the planes were less developed n required more stopovers for refuelling. U may wish to know that LKY also travelled by ship for his studies in the UK.

  • @topazsunbelt5458
    @topazsunbelt545811 ай бұрын

    He came to Singapore by a small boat not a large SHIP. Listen carefully and translate it precisely.

  • @64ytb
    @64ytb11 ай бұрын

    After all the stupid Trump and idiot Putin news, it’s good to have something lighter to watch. Ganbate kudasai.

  • @dennisleong7866
    @dennisleong786611 ай бұрын

    I always like your video accept when come to end you said “ Japanese people come already in hokkian “ this make me feel very uncomfortable, it’s sound like the pass Japanese invasion 😢 sorry to say that

  • @basiramirakmar7220
    @basiramirakmar722010 ай бұрын

    Sgpore was a Malaya land stolen by the British via blackmail and dirty means and given away to the Chinese.

  • @cocaineminor4420

    @cocaineminor4420

    10 ай бұрын

    And than the Chinese build Singapore and become richest country

  • @cocaineminor4420

    @cocaineminor4420

    10 ай бұрын

    Now it is a east Asian country inside southeast Asia

  • @joshuajoke5743
    @joshuajoke574311 ай бұрын

    Did you ask the uncle what he thought of the Japanese presence in China from 1937-1945?

  • @christan286

    @christan286

    11 ай бұрын

    Didn't you hear him say he came here in 1958 so how is he to know?

  • @joshuajoke5743

    @joshuajoke5743

    11 ай бұрын

    @@christan286 I didn’t say the uncle was here. I wrote what he thought of it.

  • @rachel_vill

    @rachel_vill

    10 ай бұрын

    Relevant how?

  • @joshuajoke5743

    @joshuajoke5743

    10 ай бұрын

    @@rachel_vill why not given the audience?

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