Her days are full, and you might first notice her delivering a quick pep talk to her staff, slicing a triple-layer mango pancake or ensuring a cocktail has been made to perfection at Apinara in Pacific Place, the new-to- Hong Kong restaurant and bar from Nara Thai Cuisine in Bangkok. “It has always been a dream of mine to bring Nara to Hong Kong,” says hospitality entrepreneur Pearl Shek, who saw a gap in the market for an authentic and homey Thai restaurant, and brought the popular concept to the SAR late last year. “Nara was a childhood favourite for my family and I. We travelled to Bangkok frequently to visit my grandfather and every trip demanded a visit to Nara. Through my visits, I developed an affinity for the restaurant’s hospitality, admired its unsurpassed quality of Thai food, but above all, I was drawn to the charisma of our founder Narawadee (Yuki) Srikarnchana – a strong female figure who illustrates female empowerment, and who reminds me very much of my own mother.”
And the long days? Shek is taking them in her elegant stride. “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress,” she explains. “Working for something we love is called passion. I have no stress, I have loads of passion.”
