10 Questions with Josh and Caleb Ng, founders of Twins Kitchen
Our next Gen Mox Interview is with Josh and Caleb Ng. This is the dynamic duo behind Twins Kitchen, bringing you brands like INTERVAL, Common Ground cafe, PMQ Test Kitchen, PRESET Event Space and more. These brothers come from a family of foodies, started working in the wine industry and now find themselves with their own Food & Beverage consultancy and cafe. With a creative and innovative approach, they strive to “change the city through food and design”. Whether it’s advising other restaurants or running their own, you can be sure the brothers are working to curate the best of the best. We chat to Josh and Caleb about the secret ingredients to success, what they envision for their future and everything in between.
1. Tell us about yourselves. What inspired you to start Twins Kitchen. How did you discover your love of cooking?
Caleb: We grew up in Hong Kong and went to the West Coast to study economics at UCLA.
Josh: Our cooking journey started when we were very young. We started cooking at the age of seven, and were inspired by a lot of chefs, especially Jamie Oliver.
Caleb: When we were studying in LA, we were introduced to great ingredients from California. We started to cook every day, and the idea of Twins Kitchen was born. We worked in California for just over a year and then headed back to Hong Kong to set up a wine-importing business. The Food & Beverage space was naturally the next step for us after that!
Josh: We wanted to set up our own cafe and food consulting business but we also wanted to support non-profit projects. We worked to transform unwanted food products from markets into free meals for people in need.
Caleb: A big part of our motivation is our dad. He’s a real foodie! He is a pretty traditional Asian father, in the sense that he gives everything he can to the family. He doesn’t spend much on himself, but occasionally, he’ll treat us all to a delicious home-cooked meal.
Josh: Food is his biggest hobby. Some of our best childhood memories happened around a dining table. That is where our love of food came from!
2. It’s amazing to see twin brothers running a successful, innovative business together. What three things led to your success, motivation and growth?
Caleb:
- Our hunger for new and better things.
- Our differences and similarities.
- Our love for hospitality.
Josh:
- The ability to think clearly and creatively.
- Acting quickly and responding to change.
- Discipline and dedication.
3. What do you enjoy doing in your downtime? What achievements are you proud of outside of your culinary empire?
Caleb: Running.
Josh: More specifically, marathons! It's become a big part of our lives.
4. Can you tell us something most people don’t know about you?
Caleb: I have a secret passion for coding and all things data science.
Josh: I love drawing in my spare time.
5. What are your three favourite things about Hong Kong?
Caleb:
- How it’s organised yet chaotic at the same time.
- The efficiency. You can move from one thing to the next so quickly and smoothly.
- The food! There’s always more to try.
Josh:
- The nature. You can get outdoors and out of the city so easily.
- The convenience. No matter what you’re looking for, Hong Kong will have it!
- The opportunity. There’s always a chance to grow.
6. What piece of advice would you give to people pursuing what they love?
Caleb: Passion is key.
Josh: Many people will say “no” to you. That’s when you need to say “yes” to yourself.
7. What financial tips would you give them? How did financial planning support your journey?
Caleb: Whilst we can’t predict the future, strategic planning is crucial for business success. If you understand your own financial health, you can look at all possible options and plan for your personal or professional goals.
Josh: Financial planning gave us a clear timeline to work towards. We’re able to set realistic and achievable milestones which motivated us along our journey.
8. Tell us about an obstacle that you were faced with in your life or career. How did you overcome it?
Caleb: When we’re facing an obstacle, we try to break it down into smaller tasks. When big challenges hit, it’s hard to know where to start, but if you split it up, it just becomes one task at a time.
Josh: The past year has taken us through many challenges. But by prioritising our passion, our team and our end goals, you can always see the next step.
9. How do you see your career and lifestyle evolving? What are you most looking forward to?
Caleb: Being startup founders, our career is also our lifestyle. We are living out what we believe and what we love.
Josh: We’re most looking forward to COVID ending. We can’t wait to be able to travel again.
10. Complete the following sentences:
Growing up, I believed money was…
Caleb: Something that gives you freedom.
Josh: An indicator of success.
Now, I view money as…
Caleb: A variable to measure performance.
Josh: A way to create and build my own dreams.
To me, financial empowerment means…
Caleb: I am able to control the future.
Josh: Creating opportunities to dream even bigger.
My favourite Mox feature is…
Caleb: The spending feature.
Josh: The ability to monitor spending so clearly. It’s all in one place for you.
Mox Masterclass: Wine tasting and feasting with Josh and Caleb
Founders and entrepreneurs, Josh and Caleb, are opening the doors of INTERVAL to Mox customers! Be one of the first to experience the newly-opened space in Cyberport.
With a selection of vintage wines curated by sommelier Wallace Lo and a food menu drawn up by Josh and Caleb, you can expect a night of fine wine tasting and feasting. Wines include the 2019 Meinklang “Foam” White from Austria, the 2017 Zidarich Vitoviska, and the 2008 Serafino Riserva from Italian producer Musso by Contra Soarda. The food features INTERVAL's Italian pizzas, fresh out of a custom-built Neapolitan wood fire oven and aperitivos by head chef Steve Chiu, formerly of Octavium and 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana. You can expect delicious Italian dishes with creative Chinese twists.
Guests can also purchase wines for takeaway and get 30% off on prices based on wine list.
Sip your way through an evening of vintage wine tasting and feasting. Join us on 27 March from 5:00 - 7:00pm to experience the brand new restaurant with an open kitchen, an on-site farm and more!
Space is limited, so open a Mox account to sign up through the dedicated link in the Mox app under “Discover Tab” > “Mox Masterclass” now!
Remarks: The views expressed by individuals featured in this interview are the personal views of such individuals and do not necessarily reflect, and, should not be taken as the views of Mox Bank Limited.
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