Chapter 1
Thanks to Oliva, I have been able to make more friends.
Eddie&Victor
They are two hardworking young French men who share a living space in this city Shanghai. I would like to combine their stories in the hopes of inspiring your life here. Also they bring back my memories of my roommates who are also cool guys.My respect to them here.
I met Eddie through his boss Didian, who is a friend of Miga. Miga is like a brother to me, even though we come from different backgrounds - he’s half Peruvian and half Swedish. He says"Im his brother from another mother under South American tradition" I plan to write about Miga in the future.
Didian, the partner of “les boites” on Chang de Road, always greets me with a laugh after my soccer game and says, “Ken, what’s happened to you? You look so fresh!” I now understand his point because I sweat a lot after sports even though I took a shower before our meeting. Looking back and laughing at myself, quite funny. Whether it’s fish or meat, it never bothers us. He is always accompanied by another French couple, Vincent and “her” husband, who is the chef. Yeah. It’s their Chinese “Xiaopin”. It’s their choice of lifestyle and as long as they don’t use the media to brainwash others, it’s fine with me. What matters most is that we are friendly towards each other.
One day. They have asked me to bring young chef Eddie into China, but he is only 19 years old. According to the working permit policy at that time, foreigners needed two years of overseas working experience and a bachelor’s degree. “Oh my goodness, what can I do to legally get him into China?” I don’t have a magic solution, so I just kept trying by reaching out to the labor bureau. Fortunately, I received some help from Mr. Zhao who works for No.88 Mei Yuan Road at the Shanghai labor bureau, which was in charge of work permit applications at that time.
After several visits, a junior staff member from the labor bureau introduced me to Mr. Zhao, who is in charge of the service center. After carefully assessing the situation, he asked me if the new chef Eddie is crucial for the future success of this French restaurant. Without hesitation, I confidently answered “yes”. Trusting my judgment, he requested that I prepare a special application letter with the signature of the restaurant owners.
We achieved it together with the help from the labor bureau of Shanghai. Eddie arrived in Shanghai within 2 months after we resubmitted the special visa application. It’s an amazing story and no one could believe it until Eddie started working in the kitchen.
We didn’t talk much as new friends, but I’m so proud of this accomplishment. We were lucky to receive support from the labor bureau, and their decision helped our international friend enter China. It may seem like a small thing to the labor bureau, but on the other hand, it can change people’s destinies.
Later on.I always receive special and delicious food and wine from Eddie whenever I visit his place. It’s such a delightful experience! I recently learned that it’s a French tradition as a gesture of honor from the chef. How lovely!
Destiny always brings different opportunities and unexpected surprises. Eddie’s three bosses find themselves in a complicated love triangle, causing them to lose focus on the restaurant’s operations, especially on the second floor of the building. Eventually, Didian goes to Gan Su area to open a new bar, while Vicente and his husband move back to Paris and settle into a comfortable service apartment. It’s their choice, but I don’t want to say goodbye to them. Why do we always have goodbyes in life?
During the closing, I had a conversation with Eddie about collaborating on a French bakery concept. We discussed the timing of my yakitori business with Oliva, which is why we decided to work together on this project.Beause we can turn the concept up together with Oliva and we can save time.
The Chinese believe that having the right timing, suitable location, and a strong team are crucial.
Years later, I also had the pleasure of meeting Eddie’s Mum at our French duck restaurant. We enjoyed a simple dinner together and were able to connect through friendly eyes - that’s all it takes to form a true friendship. No need for flattery or constantly being by each other’s side.