Anthony & Jason Lui

Owner and General Manager of the Flower Drum Restaurant

万寿宫中餐馆经营者与总经理

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“History aside we built a pretty strong and loyal customer base with our food and service. We pride ourselves in using the best ingredients and providing premium customer service. We like to look after our guests and make sure they enjoy our food every time they come in.”

Third generation restaurateur Jason Lui, with deep roots in traditional Cantonese cuisine, is the man at the helm of Melbourne’s elegant Flower Drum, a multi-award winning restaurant lined with exquisite Chinese art and plush carpets. However, aesthetics are not their only asset.

While his father, head chef Anthony Lui is the secret weapon of Flower Drum, the father and son team is formidable, carving a name for themselves, not only as one of the best Chinese restaurants but one of the best restaurants in Melbourne.

Originally set up by Gilbert Lau in 1975 along Little Bourke Street, Flower Drum moved to its current location at Market Lane in 1985. The culinary awards never stopped pouring in and the famed restaurant is usually booked months ahead.

Born in Hong Kong, Jason Lui left his hometown when he was only three. “I don’t remember much about Hong Kong. I’ve lived in Melbourne most of my life. Growing up in Bulleen I went to the usual Australian and Catholic schools, and eventually the university, to do a double degree in marketing and finance.”

The more acclaimed Anthony Lui became, the less Jason saw of his father. “I was living with a chef father who was very busy all the time. Mum passed away when I was quite young. My brother and I looked after each other, split the house chores between us, and did homework by ourselves. My father did the best he could and more, so I count myself very fortunate to be in this family,” he shares.

Anthony Lui took over Flower Drum in 2000. It was only natural that junior joined the ranks. “Back then Gilbert Lau was still around and was a very strong industry legend. I was lucky to be able to learn from him and my father. I started doing everything – busboy, front of house, kitchen hand, got my hands dirty so to speak.”

The double degree came in handy as well. “Everyday life here involves marketing and finance. It’s a good fit I suppose.”

In a successful restaurant, pressure is always part of the menu. Working with one’s father can double that tension but Jason sees the bright side.

There are, of course, generational differences. “My dad is always a steady hand about consistency, keeping things the same as much as possible. For me, change excites me, new things excite me. Sometimes it is difficult to find a balance.”

“It’s amazing getting to know him and the depth of his knowledge and skill. His work ethics are second to none, something I aspire to. The best part is to be able to see a lot more of him.”

The Flower Drum signature is emblazoned across this gastronomic haven. Jason recommend, “The iconic and traditional Peking duck wrapped in handmade pancakes and baked crab shells in creamy turmeric sauce. Noodles made from wild barramundi is another popular demand. Our guests love my father’s cooking style, which is quite delicate and clean.”

Hard work is paramount in the restaurant business. Jason Lui’s personal advice to newbies, “Work hard and don’t deviate too much from your original cuisine”. Not so different for his father’s words of wisdom, “Work and work hard. Do it and do it well.”

身为第三代餐厅经营者，Jason Lui深入扎根传统粤菜。他掌管着墨尔本优雅中餐馆“万寿宫”，这是一家屡获殊荣的餐厅，精致韵味十足的中式迎宾装潢设计。然而，美学不是他们唯一的资产。

他的父亲，餐馆主厨吕兆培(Anthony Lui)是万寿宫的秘密武器，父子军团队配合无间，彻底打响金字招牌，不仅是墨尔本最好的餐厅之一，也是极负盛名的中餐馆。

万寿宫原本是由刘华铿 (Gilbert Lau) 于1975年沿着Little Bourke Street创立，并于1985年搬迁至目前Market Lane的位置，所荣获的各种厨艺烹饪奖项更是从来没停过，这家餐馆的预订必须几个月前进行。

“除了本身的历史，透过食物和服务，我们建立了相当稳固忠实的客户群，我们也为使用最好的食材而自豪，当然包括优质的服务。而确保客人拥有最佳用餐体验，让他们每次光临皆对餐馆的食物和氛围享受不已。”

香港出生的Jason在3岁时离开了家乡。“香港的一切有点记忆模糊。因为我大部分时间定居在墨尔本。我在Bulleen区长大，如一般澳大利亚人就读天主教学校，完成大学营销和金融双学位。”

随着父亲名气渐渐上升，两父子相处的时间锐减。“我和一位厨师父亲住在一起，他一直很忙碌。我年少时母亲就去世了，我们兄弟互相照顾，分摊家务，还有做好自己的家庭作业。父亲已经尽全力做到最好，我非常庆幸身为这个家庭中一份子。”他分享。

由于父亲在2000年接管了万寿宫，年轻的他就顺理成章的加入行列。“当时刘华铿还在餐馆，他是行业中声名显赫的传奇人物，我很幸运能够从他和我父亲那里学习。我开始从打杂工做起，无论是跑前台大堂或去厨房帮手，双手弄得脏兮兮。”

当然，修读的双学位也起了作用。“餐馆的日常运作涉及市场营销和财务，这对我来说很合适。而作为一家的成功餐厅，其实更多的压力源自于菜单。和父亲拍档其实心情加倍紧张，但Jason只看到美好的一面。

 

“我更了解父亲，他的知识和技能深度是惊人的。他的职业道德可说是无人能及，是我追求的榜样，最重要的是能够看到更深层多面的他。”

至于存在的世代差异观念问题。“我父亲一直尽可能保持稳定或讲求一致性。可是，对我而言，新事物激励着我，我想寻求变化，有时比较难以找到平衡点。”

有关这个美食天堂的标志性菜肴。“我们的招牌菜是传统北京烤鸭包裹着手制薄煎饼和奶油姜黄酱烤蟹壳。而野生盲鰽(barramundi)鱼肉制成的面条是另一道受欢迎菜品。客人们喜爱我父亲的烹饪手法，细致而利落的风格。“

而餐厅经营中至关重要的就是辛勤工作。Jason对于新人的建议：“努力工作，不要过于偏离原味美食”。至于他父亲的智慧箴言并没有太大的区别：“工作和努力工作，去做而且要做好。”

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by Billie Ooi-Ng Lean Gaik  

Allan Carlsson

Development Manager of Underbank

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“You have a situation where prices become unaffordable closer to the CBD which forces home buyers to search for properties further out thereby increasing demand and prices subsequently rise.”

Melbourne remains a hot spot for international tourists, migrants and even the growth of local – interstate migration.

It is dubbed as one of the most liveable cities in the world – a melting pot of cultures with a splendid variety of food, entertainment and even business opportunities.

These are some of the reasons many flock to this gem of Australia, according to Kataland development manager, Allan Carlsson.

“Victoria and more particularly Melbourne are going through a period of high population growth, both from interstate arrivals as well as overseas migration. Most of the interstate arrivals are from NSW and Queensland which is the complete opposite to when I arrived in Melbourne in 1998, when there was a net outflow from Victoria mainly to Queensland,” he said.

The rising cost of housing in Sydney and lack of job opportunities in Queensland have driven the move to Melbourne. On top of this, the increase in Melbourne’s property prices is related to supply and demand – it is evident in the creation of new land estates on the fringes where rezoning of land has not kept the pace with demand.

Underbank – A new home

Allan is currently working on a major development called Underbank in Bacchus Marsh, one of Victoria’s most picturesque and untouched landscapes. This development boasts bountiful greens, parks and natural waterways – the countryside for the new community way of living. As a result of high demand, the Phase 1 has been sold out, Phase 2 is almost sold out with Phase 3 on the way.

“At Bacchus Marsh we have a unique situation where there is an established township with all the amenities such as schools, hospitals, shops, cafes and transportation just outside the official metropolitan area. This allows us to deliver land at a lower price than a few kilometres away at Melton, because we are not subject to the additional government taxes that developers have to pay in the metro area.

“At about 50 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD, Bacchus Marsh is actually closer than some suburbs within the metro area and with the V-Line train, you can now be in the centre of Melbourne in 45 minutes. This will home about 4000 people within the next 10 years,” said Allan.

A choice investment

Kataland chose to invest in Bacchus Marsh because of the beautiful valley where the former stud farm was situated. “There is not another site like Underbank anywhere around Melbourne that has a combination of elevated land with views, creek side land and higher density living next to the town centre, right alongside an existing village.”

The value of the developed land is estimated at around $250 million, and the cost of the houses to be built on the land could add another $300 million plus to this amount.

Currently, the average selling price is about $165,000 for a 600 square metre block in Stage 3.

“This compares to our initial selling prices of around $145,000 for a similar sized block in Stage 1 when we commenced selling in June last year. Compared to estates nearby in Bacchus Marsh and Melton, our land still represents very good value,” said Allan.

Expect the first round of developments including parks and landscaped creek corridors to be completed in August. A child care centre is currently in the planning stages and is scheduled to open in less than two years. After this, Underbank will see the opening of the resident’s clubhouse that comprise a swimming pool, tennis court, gym, coffee shop and meeting spaces for the community.

Other infrastructure to be delivered includes the town centre with shops and accommodation and a sports precinct where people can participate in AFL football, cricket, tennis and netball.

Kataland will also be involved in the external development of the public areas where it will contribute over $7 million to upgrade facilities such as roads, bridges, roundabouts/ intersections and an early child care centre in and around Bacchus Marsh.

“在墨尔本周边没有类似Underbank这样与高地的景观相结合，河畔土地和高密度生活区在城镇中心旁边，并与现存的村庄比邻。”

墨尔本-这个作为国际游客景点，同时也是海外移民、还有持续增长的当地州际移民热点。被誉为全球最宜居的城市之一，也是汇集丰盛多元化的美食、娱乐甚至商机的文化融炉。

著名房地产开发公司Kataland开发经理Allan Carlsson认为，以上这些都是大家涌向澳大利亚这颗宝石的因素。

“维多利亚州，正确来说是墨尔本正在经历人口高速增长时期，无论是来自州际移民及海外移民。”他说，现在大部分本地移民来自新南威尔士和昆士兰州，当他在1998年来到墨尔本时，情况正好相反，从维多利亚州出去的移民群主要流向昆士兰州。

由于悉尼住房成本高昂，而昆士兰州缺乏就业机会，从中推动了墨尔本的转机。另外，墨尔本房地产价格的上涨也与供求挂钩，很显然，在新土地的开发中，重新规划土地已经无法跟上需求的步伐。

“而在靠近中心商务区(CBD)的价格变得无法承受，这也迫使购房者向周边进一步搜寻房产，从而提高了需求和房价。”Allan解释。

Underbank – 一个全新优质家园
这项在巴克斯马什 (Bacchus Marsh) 进行的 Underbank重大发展计划，Allan Carlsson 作为项目的主要负责人。巴克斯马什以维多利亚州最秀丽优美的风景区闻名，这项发展计划具备充沛绿地，公园和自然水道–结合全新社区生活方式的乡镇。由于供不应求，项目计划第一阶段已售罄，第二阶段近乎售罄，而第三阶段即将到来。

“巴克斯马什具备独特状况，那里有一个早已建设完整的乡镇，所有的设施如学校、医院、商店，咖啡馆和公共交通都分布在城区外围。这使我们能够以更低价格交付土地，因为并非开发商必须支付额外政府税的地铁区域内，对比数公里处的Melton。”

“即使距离墨尔本CBD约50公里，巴克斯马什与具备地铁交通的其他郊区相比，实际上距离城区更近，因为乘搭V-Line列车可于45分钟内到达墨尔本市中心。预计未来10年内，这将是4000人的家园。”

精选投资
至于投资方Kataland瞄准投资巴克斯马什，因为这里拥有美丽山谷，以前种马场就坐落该处。“在墨尔本周边没有类似Underbank这样与高地的景观相结合，河畔土地和高密度生活区在城镇中心旁边，并与现存的村庄比邻。”

发展用地的估值是2.5亿澳元，在土地上建房成本可能再增加额外3亿澳元。目前，第三阶段的600平方米的平均售价约为16万5000澳元。

“我们在去年6月开始销售时，第一阶段类似规模的面积，初始售价大约14万5000澳元。所以，与巴克斯马什和Melton的周边房产相比，我们的土地仍然具备良好增值情况。”

预计8月份将完成的首期发展计划包含公园和景观河畔走道。幼儿保育中心目前正处于规划阶段，计划两年内开放使用。此后，Underbank将会陆续开放居民俱乐部，包括游泳池、网球场、健身房，咖啡店和社区会议室。至于到时要完工交付的其他基础设施包括具备商店和住宿的城镇中心，还有可以进行澳式足球、板球，网球和英式篮球活动的运动区。

Kataland还将出资逾700万澳元参与公共区域的外部发展计划，用于提升巴克斯马什周围的道路、桥梁，交通圈/交叉口等基设以及早期幼儿保育中心。

For more information on Underbank please visit: www.underbank.com.au

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by Karina Foo