Family leaving city Chinese takeaway after 53 years in business

Hong Kong Fusion first burst onto the Norwich food scene in Unthank Road 53 years ago.

After many decades and three generations in business, however, the owners have announced that the takeaway will soon be handed over to a new family as they step away from the catering industry.

Tak-Man Li (centre) with children Lauren, Rebecca and James (Image: Hong Kong Fusion)

Owner Tak-Man Li, 56, said: “We are going to be handing over the shop to another family who have run a few takeaways in and around Norwich.

“Our whole family, from my father to my children, have loved bringing the food from my father’s home in Sha Tau Kok in Hong Kong to the people of Norwich.

“We still see some of our customers from the beginning and are proud of the 50 or 60 staff members that we trained and are now successful business owners.

The takeaway has been open in Unthank Road for 53 years (Image: Hong Kong Fusion)

“I was born and grew up in Norfolk so this takeaway has been a life-long journey for me.

“Now I’ve decided to do something different.”

Lam Mui Li opened the shop on Unthank Road in 1971, after coming to Norwich from Sha Tau Kok, a fishing village in the New Territories of Hong Kong. 

His entire family – including all eight of his children – worked in the takeaway at one point.

Tak-Man with his father, Lam Mui Li (Image: Hong Kong Fusion)

Mei Yee Li (left) with husband Lam Mui Li outside the shop when it first opened (Image: Hong Kong Fusion)

Tak’s wife, Karen, recorded the story of the Li family setting up their life in England in the beautifully illustrated children’s book The Golden Mango Tree, which won the Mal Pete Award for Children’s Book of the Year in 2023.

Tak stepped into his father’s shoes in 2014, having spent several years running the Hong Kong Fusion Restaurant in Prince of Wales Road.

READ MORE: Opening date revealed for new homeware shop in city centre

Now, he will be retraining as a driving instructor – a complete career change after more than 40 years working in the food industry.

Hong Kong Chinese first opened in 1971 (Image: Hong Kong Fusion)

Tak grew up with seven sisters – all who worked in the takeaway at one point or another (Image: Tak-Man Li)

This should also free up a bit more free time for Tak to post more cooking videos on his YouTube channel, which has several thousands of followers and teaches them how to make some of the dishes served in the takeaway.

“The family is proud to have established one of the first and longest-standing takeaways in the city,” he said.