Zhang Yong (restaurateur)
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Zhang Yong | |
|---|---|
| 张勇 | |
| Born | 1969 or 1970 (age 55–56)[1] |
| Occupation | Restaurateur |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Known for | Being the founder of Haidilao |
| Title | Founder and CEO of Haidilao |
| Spouse | Shu Ping (舒萍) |
| Children | 1 |
Zhang Yong (Chinese: 张勇; pinyin: Zhāng Yǒng) is a Chinese-born Singaporean restaurateur. He is the founder of the Haidilao restaurant group, best known for its chain of hot pot restaurants. At the end of 2018, Haidilao Hot Pot had 466 direct-operated stores in operation in more than a hundred cities. Zhang also holds majority stake in Haidilao Catering, Haidilao International Holding and Yihai International.[2]
Zhang was born and grew up in Jianyang, Sichuan, China.[3][1] He started his humble career beginnings as a welder by profession, and did not eat in a restaurant until he was 19.[4]
In 1994, he quit his job in a tractor factory and opened a restaurant with 4 tables to seat customers,[5] the first Haidilao, which was cofounded by two couples, Zhang and his wife Shu Ping, and fellow business partners Shi Yonghong and his wife Li Haiyan.[6]
Zhang's restaurant soon became the largest hot pot restaurant in town. A second restaurant, Lou Wai Lou, opened in 1998. In 2010, the company opened its own restaurant management training school.[6][7] Zhang has stated that his business philosophy revolves around using hot pot as a medium through which qi (器) and Dao (道) can be reunited.