Chua Lam
Chua Lam | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 蔡瀾 | |||
Chua in 2008 | |||
| Born | 18 August 1941 | ||
| Died | 25 June 2025 (aged 83) Hong Kong | ||
| Nationality | Singaporean[1] | ||
| Occupation(s) | Columnist, food connoisseur, film producer, television presenter | ||
| Spouse | Chang Chong-wen (張瓊文) | ||
| Parent(s) | Chua Boon Suan (1907-1997) Hung Fong Ping (1909-2008) | ||
| Chinese name | |||
| Traditional Chinese | 蔡瀾 | ||
| Simplified Chinese | 蔡澜 | ||
| |||
Chua Lam (also known as Mandarin: Tsai Lan, Cantonese: Choi Lan, Teochew: Chùa Lāng) (simplified Chinese: 蔡澜, traditional Chinese: 蔡瀾, 18 August 1941 – 25 June 2025) was a Hong Kong columnist, food critic and occasional television host based in Hong Kong. He was also a film producer for the Hong Kong film studio Golden Harvest.
Early life
Chua was born in Singapore in 1941.[2] His father originally named him 蔡南 (Teochew: Chùa Lâm; Mandarin: Cài Nán), meaning born in Nanyang (南洋). But when the name was sent back to the ancestral hall in the Teochew hometown, it was discovered that someone in the previous two generations already had the same name, so it could not be used. However, his birth certificate had already been registered as "Chua Lam", so his Chinese name was eventually changed to 蔡瀾 (Teochew: Chùa Lâng; Mandarin: Cài Lán).[3][4]
Career
Media career
Chua was a producer of several movies for Golden Harvest, including several films for Jackie Chan. Notable films include Mr. Nice Guy (credited as executive producer), Thunderbolt (credited as producer), Sex and Zen and City Hunter (credited as producer).
Chua was primarily known in Japan as a judge on the Fuji TV series Iron Chef.
Writing career
Chua was a columnist on Oriental Daily in Hong Kong. Chua later switched to writing columns for the Next Media's publications, namely Next Magazine (on movies and a restaurant guide), Apple Daily and Eat and Travel Weekly. All columns have continued as of 2007.
Chua wrote a number of books and restaurant guides on Hong Kong in Japanese.
In later years (2005–20??), Chua organized special tours in Asia and around the world to sample the best local speciality food. Chua often wrote, in his newspaper columns, about the tours' organizing trips where he and others sample food from four or five restaurants per day in order to select the best restaurants.
Gastronomic philosophy
One of Chua's most beloved dishes was stir-fried bean sprout with fried tofu and fish sauce.
Chua was famous for advocating the use of pork drippings in food preparation and as a condiment. He cited and promoted the usage of pork fat in most of his TV shows.
Personal life and death
Chua's father, Chua Boon Hean (蔡文玄), was a native of the Jio Mung Chua (蔡門石) village in Chaozhou who immigrated to Singapore. His father worked in a high-ranking post at the Shaw Brothers Studio and died in 1997.
Chua was a student of Nihon University Art Department in Tokyo, Japan and lived there for several years in the early 1960s.
Chua held Singaporean citizenship, although he was based in Hong Kong from 1963.[1]
In March 2023, Chua's wife slipped and fell at home and died shortly after. While rushing over to his wife when she fell, Chua fell also and fractured his pelvic bone.[5]
On 25 June 2025, Chua Lam died at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital. He was 83, and later cremated.[6] It was initially reported on Chua’s Facebook page on 27 June 2025.[7]
Filmography
Film
Chua Lam worked in the 1980s and up to the end of the 1990s in the Hongkong film business as executive producer or producer.
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1985 | Heart of Dragon |
| 1986 | Dr. Yuen and Wisely |
| 1987 | Armour of God |
| 1987 | Born to Gamble |
| 1987 | Killer's Nocturne |
| 1987 | Erotic Ghost Story |
| 1988 | Profiles of Pleasure |
| 1988 | Peacock King |
| 1989 | Four Loves |
| 1990 | A Sau-loh |
| 1991 | Robotrix |
| 1991 | Erotic Ghost Story II |
| 1991 | Au revoir, mon amour |
| 1991 | Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky |
| 1992 | Erotic Ghost Story III |
| 1992 | The Cat |
| 1993 | City Hunter |
| 1993 | Crime Story |
| 1994 | Girls Unbutton |
| 1994 | Chinese Torture Chamber |
| 1994 | Spirit of Love |
| 1995 | Trilogy of Love |
| 1995 | Thunderbolt |
| 1995 | The Christ Of Nanjing |
| 1996 | The Imp |
| 1997 | Mr. Nice Guy |
| 1998 | Extreme Crisis |
Television
In the 2000s and 2010s he was working as general consultant and TV presenter for Japanese and other TV series as he had become "one of the most authoritative voices on Chinese cuisine".[6]
- 2007: Market Trotter (蔡瀾逛菜欄)
- 2007: Ten Years After (拾年)
- 2008: Chu As Choice (蔡瀾歎名菜)
- 2009: Be My Guest (志雲飯局)
References
- ^ a b Na, Guo. "蔡澜:怎样煮一个完美的鸡蛋？" [Chua Lam: How to Cook a Perfect Egg?]. www.lifeweek.com.cn (in Chinese).
- ^ "Hong Kong cultural icon Chua Lam passes away at 83". www.thestandard.com.hk. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ 蔡瀾 (Chua Lam) (17 February 1987). "名字的故事" [The Story Behind the Name]. 联合早报 (Lianhe Zaobao) (in Chinese (Singapore)).
- ^ 潘星華 (Poon Sing Wah) (1 October 1997). "蔡澜原名蔡南 为了祖宗改名" [Chua Lam was originally named Chua Nan, but changed it for his ancestors]. 联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao) (in Chinese (Singapore)).
- ^ Chan, Ilsa (21 April 2024). "Famed Food Critic Chua Lam, 82, Spends S$87K A Month On Round-The-Clock Care After Suffering Fall". 8days. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Renowned food critic Chua Lam dies at 83". BBC World News. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Jiang, Chuqin (27 June 2025). "Renowned Hong Kong-based food critic Chua Lam dies at age 83". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 27 June 2025.