There are an estimated 2,000 Taiwanese citizens resident in Belgium, making it one of the smallest ethnic minorities in the country.
Usually, the only time we hear about Taiwan in the news is when it relate to geo-politics.
But there is one Taiwanese-born citizen in Belgium who is valiantly flying the flag for his homeland.
His name is Chang Chi-Kong and there cannot, surely, be another Taiwanese person in Belgium who is doing more to “promote” his homeland than this man.
He is a former journalist-turned-entrepreneur who, way back in the 1970s, opened his first restaurant in Belgium and has since gone on to achieve huge success with restaurants, previously, dotted all over the country.
Today, he runs just the one – “Kabuki” – but it is one of the most popular in Brussels and also features something you are very unlikely to find anywhere else in Belgium and possibly Europe (more on that later).
Mr Chang himself has a fascinating back story. He started out as a sub editor back in his native Taiwan but (and this, given the parlous state of modern-day journalism was probably a very clever move),always hankered after owning his own business.
He was introduced to Belgium via a friend who worked at the Taiwan embassy in the country and found himself thousands of kilometres from home in the Low Country.
Back then, the 1970s, there were very few “Asian” restaurants in Belgium and, after learning some French and the basics of managing a restaurant, he launched himself into the horeca trade.
He opened his first resto in 1979 in Liege and this was followed by others in Luxembourg, Arlon.
The Liege venue was much smaller than Kabuki, with space for 44 people compared with 300 now, but the cuisine was and essentially classic Chinese.
His first resto in Brussels was opened in 1991 and he launched Kabuki in 2007, admitting that his friends told him he was “mad” for taking on such a huge space.
The resto covers some 880 square metres and even has a kitchen below ground level.
It was a big gamble, not least as Mr Chang personally invested some €1 million into the launch.
He says, though, that that huge investment was as much for his three children as himself.
“It is important,” he says, “to leave something for the kids so I see this as much as an inheritance as anything.
“That, together with the quality of the food, is what is most important to me.”
The place is much as it was 20 years ago when he opened it, save for a refurbishment in 2018.
He employs no less than 25 staff whose nationalities span the world, including the Philippines, Japan, Belgium and, of course, his native Taiwan.
In the past he ran no less than seven restaurants all over Belgium but says that, for him, city centre based restos are better to run than those in the countryside as it is easier to recruit staff in the cities.
The décor of Kabuki also pays homage to his homeland with about 70 per cent of the art work on display originating from Taiwan (he has it shipped over to Belgium in large containers).
While he has now been based in Belgium for many years his links to Taiwan remain strong and he returns regularly. He is also chairman of the World Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce which looks after the interests of Taiwanese businesses all over the world.
Kabuki has probably been his most successful venture so far and that may partly be due to one of its “unique” features: the 40-metre long, all-you-can-eat sushi train (built and transported to Belgium from Taiwan).
This is how it works: People sit at a rail track (two in fact) and the food (sushi) is transported to them on miniature trains at regular intervals. If you miss one passing train it does not matter because another one will come along very quickly on a second track.
Station names alongside the tracks have been replaced by the word “welcome” in different languages.
If sushi is not especially your thing, there is an equally popular buffet, including raw meat and fish which is cooked for you at a counter – yes, imported from Taiwan – in the centre of the resto.
Two other options include choosing from the a la carte or having your food cooked at your table by a specially trained chef. Again, nothing is left to chance and diners are equipped with rather lovely Asian tunic-type costume in case the food splashes.
Kabuki, in case you wondered, means “opera”, apt as it’s located very close to the Brussels Opera house.
Mr Chang calls himself a “proud Taiwanese” who “loves his country.”
But, and at an age – he will be 74 in June – when most have long since retired and are taking it easy – he is also still busy bringing the best of Eastern aromas and all of its rich traditions to a grateful Belgian audience.
Kabuki
32 Rue du Marche aux Poulets, Brussels 02 218 8696
