“I think Aberdeen really needs this,” the founder of Jimmy Chung’s tells me as he welcomes me to his latest venture.
This is a fresh start for Chung Wong, and he has plenty of ideas on how to turn around the site of his former Chinese buffet which burned down at the city’s Esplanade in 2014.
The father-of-four took charge of the building above Muzo’s Turkish Kitchen a few years ago – but it’s only now that his vision is beginning to come to life.
His ambition to create “the best food court in the north-east” sparked huge excitement when it was unveiled in 2022.
And now we can exclusively reveal that the £1 million project is finally under way.
‘It took a long time… but now we finally have our best foot forward’
I meet Chung and his business partner Jonathan Lau on a chilly morning at their seafront site.
The sound of hammers and drills echoes through the recently refurbished building, drowning out the squawks of seagulls overhead.
Nodding to one of the workers, Chung says this stage of construction has been a long time coming.
He admits that getting all the permissions in place for the food hall has been kind of a slog.
However, they have finally reached the point where it’s all coming together, having started construction two months ago.
Could Aberdeen beach get a fish and chips shop at last?
The ground floor of the two-storey site is now 70% complete.
This will be a chip shop, Chung tells me, and they are already in talks with potential takers.
To my disappointment, he prefers to keep their names under-wraps for now.
But they say it’s all sounding very positive – and they hope the currently dug-up floor will be buzzing with customers by the end of the year.
“It’s crazy that Aberdeen Beach doesn’t have a fish and chips shop,” Jonathan adds.
“All of the initial works on this floor, as well as the staff rooms, are now ready to go.
“We’ve done a lot in a very short space of time, and there have been a lot of hurdles to overcome, many of which were out of our control.
“It’s a shame this building has lain empty for so long, and we think that there would be nothing better than turning it into a vibrant place, buzzing with people.”
Aberdeen beach food hall to home seven different cuisines
We make our way upstairs – and this is where the real culinary magic will happen.
The open-plan floor has already been fitted with partitions for seven separate food vendors.
And there will be a bar too – with “fantastic” views out across the sea.
Chung’s face stretches into a grin as he tells me this place will be all about good food, and diversity.
And he chuckles that it might be the solution to a few dining disputes among loved ones (including within his own family).
He explains: “When the five of us go out, we always end up with four people being disappointed with the choice of food.
“My wife would want vegan, my son would want fish and chips, my daughter would want a burger and I would feel like ramen…”
‘New food hall could bring Aberdeen beach back to life’
So having several types of dish on offer – each with its own trademark – should keep everybody happy.
Of course, the idea of a food hall didn’t come up just to avoid some family quarrels.
Chung believes this is exactly the type of thing that will bring more people to the waterfront – amid major efforts to rejuvenate the area.
He adds: “This style of a food venue works everywhere – Sheffield, Birmingham, Manchester, and recently, even Inverness.
“So why not give something like that to Aberdeen beach too.”
Which businesses could set up shop at the new beach food court?
While there is nothing concrete at the moment, Chung and Jonathan say they already have a few businesses potentially lined up.
And they stress that when they make their choice, they will be looking for strong independent traders – or, as Chung says, “the small local guys”.
This is what would make the food court special.
“We are still looking for good strong brands, but ideally, we want this to be a place for the small guys to shine,” he tells me.
“We don’t want a franchise or a national chain here – we want local operators who put their heart and soul into their work to provide the best service to the community.
“Our goal is to bring the best of the best here, so you can walk in and have the best Italian, the best ice cream, the best burgers…all in one place. The sky is the limit.”
Push for interested traders to get in touch during construction works
As he jumps from one empty (for now) food pod to another, Jonathan adds that each unit could be tailored specifically to the needs of its occupant.
This is why they want potential takers to get involved in the early stages of construction.
“We really want to offer businesses the best experience here, and we want them to make each pod their own.
“We provide the infrastructure, but we want them to create their own identity.
“And during this stage, we can tailor everything around their needs so if anyone is interested, we want them to come forward. The sooner people get involved, the better.”
Who would YOU like to see at the new Aberdeen beach food court? Let us know in our comments section below
Efforts to make Aberdeen beach a destination on week nights
Unlike other hospitality venues at the beach, the new food court will be open seven days a week, offering customers a wide choice of food options even on a school night.
Jonathan and Chung are also considering using the 200-seater space for all sorts of events, such as salsa nights.
They reckon about 50 jobs would be created, when it opens in spring 2025.
‘Let the food and views across Aberdeen beach do the talking…’
Looking across the calm North Sea from the bright balcony, Jonathan and Chung are hopeful their ship is about to come in.
“It still feels strange driving along the beach, but we can’t stay stuck in the past,” he sighs.
“This is a fresh start. We need to move on, and creating a food court with a strong, diverse offering is a great way to do it.”
Jonathan adds: “We want this place to be welcoming to all.
“Let the food do the talking, let the view across our city’s lovely beach do the talking – these are the things that matter.”
Those interested in taking on a unit at the new food court at Aberdeen beach should get in touch with Chung and Jonathan via email on abzfoodcourt@yahoo.com.
Read more about how other communities across the north-east help improve their local beaches to see them thrive:
- Fraserburgh beach masterplan: All you need to know about £10m vision to turn the tide on Broch’s fortunes
- New food truck planned at St Cyrus beach as popularity of beauty spot booms
- Lido revamp, food market or Muckle Kirk makeover? We find out how people of Peterhead would spend planned £20m cash boost
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