It may come as a surprise to most Bristolians to discover that Hao Wei, the most highly-rated Chinese restaurant in Bristol, is not in the city centre or in any of the foodie pockets further afield. If you want to sample Chinese cuisine that's ranked number one on TripAdvisor - praised as the "best Chinese restaurant in the UK" and a "hidden gem" - you'll need to head out to Cheswick, a modern "village" development that sits on the South Gloucestershire and Bristol border.
It was here that seven years ago, Tac Vien, a property developer who lives nearby, spotted a retail unit he thought would make an excellent restaurant. He said: "I drove past it every day, and I thought 'this is a golden opportunity' because there are many residents nearby, over 2,000 houses. There was a lot of buzz around the area, so I thought it'd be good to get a foot in the door at the start of the development."
Although Tac's career wasn't in hospitality (Hao Wei was his first restaurant), he had ample experience in the business, from growing up in a family of chefs and being a pot washer as a teenager. He said: "We love food. I grew up with chefs in the family. My father is a chef, and my brothers are. So I was a good cook, but I'm not up to their level."
