Christopher Low
Sunset Park, Brooklyn
On a sunny weekday afternoon we took the D train down from Manhattan to Sunset Park in search of some really REALLY good chicken. After a little commute time, we showed up hungry and dreaming of the Hainanese chicken and char siu we’d been scrolling through online religiously the days leading up to our shoot. Owner Christopher Low and his kitchen staff welcomed us warmly, and whipped us up a meal we gladly ate despite having dinner plans later that evening. Low’s work outside of the kitchen spans a seriously impressive roster of filmmaking and cinematography, which we chatted about over the chicken liver mousse and cups of tea. Scroll for some of his fav spots outside of work, and his most recent film projects (hint hint you’ll need an HBO login.)
Full name, age, where are you from?
Christopher Low, 36, Brooklyn NY
What is your title and where do you work?
Co-owner, Hainan Chicken House
Was food a big part of your upbringing?
Food was one of the central, if not the central component of my childhood - it’s carried through to my adult life. It was a minor tragedy to have a disappointing meal (isn’t it always?). Most of my immediate and extended family work in restaurants to some capacity - I think it created an approach to eating in all of us that’s both open minded and critical. At home, particularly in Malaysia or when my grandmother was visiting us in the states, she never stopped cooking and we never stopped eating.
What are your earliest memories of dining out?
If street food counts, tea eggs and curry squid underneath the Manhattan bridge. It doesn’t exist there anymore and that’s a sad thing. As far as restaurants go…I recall when I was 4 or 5 eating an an Indian restaurant every so often with my parents and there was a ground meat dish that resembled poop and I took a lot of joy in asking for us to order the doodoo. Also the countless menus my father stole from restaurants for research during the 90’s.
If you could give a piece of advice to someone who wanted to pursue your career, what would it be?
Don’t. Not unless you’re willing to sacrifice every other aspect of your life. If you are, well…learn to eat. Eating is more important than the cooking in my opinion. Understanding our emotional connections with food and flavor. Knowing yourself? That sounds hokey but kinda true. Do you want to be Thomas Keller or is being an anonymous unsung hero slinging out eggs benedict on your Sunday mornings ok? Both are possibilities. That’s enough bad advice from me.
What do you think working in this industry has taught you?
Humility and patience. And how little of it I have sometimes.
What's your favorite dish/drink on the menu?
I think almost every item on our menu are killers…but my default, first love, is a two meat combo plate with Hainanese chicken and char siu. Runner up is our chicken liver mousse with gribenes and caramelized onions.
What is your favorite place to go out and eat at and what are you ordering?
When I get a chance, I still like picking up a pork chop rice with egg from May Wah Fast Food.
What shoes are you rocking in the kitchen?
I generally wear the most inappropriate shoes for any occasion. I feel like half the time I’m in boat shoes, it’s not my preference but it just happens.
Is there anything new and exciting coming up for you?
In my other life I’m a filmmaker, a movie I was the cinematographer on is playing on HBO (or Max, now, I guess? - Shameless plug it’s called Land of Gold). Other than that I’m working on a pop up Hainan chicken house dinner in LA for this summer hopefully.
You’re on a desert island, what are the 5 kitchen items you need to run your business?
I’ll make do with a Chinese cleaver, wok, aperol, Campari and Prosecco.
