Ping’s Restaurant Group’s Tigress – Jacqueline Sim

Ping’s braised fish maw with crabmeat outstands the same delicacy you can find in other Chinese restaurants in Bangkok. Putting in front of me this flamingly hot clay pot of fish maw, it’s simply irresistible. Spooning up a mouthful of fish maw and the broth, it wasn’t difficult to tell the most obvious characteristic of the broth – it’s full of the essence of pork ribs and chicken. Coming from a Chinese family originally from Guangzhou, a province famous for million kinds of healthy soup, it’s effortless for me to tell how many hours of boiling and simmering have been put into making this premium broth. Its flavour leads me to ponder how many trials and errors the chef has gone through to reach such perfect taste.

Who’s Jacqueline Sim?

I am definitely thrilled to have tried this perfectly-tasted braised fish maw recommended by Jacqueline Sim. Meeting Jacqueline for the very first time, I was impressed by her stamina and passion devoted to Ping’s Restaurant Group, which was founded by her father Joe Sim. Her course to acquiring the expertise in being a successful restauranteur resonates how the premium broth of the braised fish maw is cooked. Time and experiences have carved and sculpted Jacqueline into a seasoned restauranteur, a tigress who is ready to expand the restaurant group with her own vision and aspirations.

Jacqueline worked for the United Overseas Bank in Singapore for five years before coming to Bangkok in 2010 to help manage the Manchester United Restaurant and Bar for her father. This restaurant was the first Manchester United Football Club’s franchised restaurant in Bangkok that Jacqueline’s father had exclusively obtained the rights. It was Jacqueline’s first taste of working overseas and her first taste of working for her father.

Soon after the Manchester United Restaurant and Bar, Jacqueline, at the direction of her father, helped with the opening and operation of two restaurants at Pathumwan Princess Hotel – Ping’s Thai Teochew Seafood Restaurant and Tatsumi Japanese Restaurant. The experience of in-charging the operation and opening of these restaurants equipped Jacqueline with all the know-how about restauranteurship.

The evolution of Jacqueline Sim

Since Jacqueline’s arrival in Bangkok, she has encountered and overcome various difficulties. Be it the problem of culture shock or problem of communication, Jacqueline overcame each of these over time, except one that required the revelation of her true potentials and ability in restauranteurship. This exceptional hurdle was the trust between herself and her father in developing the business of Ping’s Restaurant Group.

Working under the shadow of her father, ‘obedience’ has been the direction of Jacqueline’s responsibilities in Ping’s Restaurant Group. Disagreements between the father and daughter happened, but it didn’t stop Jacqueline from aspiring to become a real restauranteur. Time and experience of running multiple restaurants have further sculptured Jacqueline to be a qualified restauranteur. Her ambition to gradually work away from her father’s shadow and realize her vision in developing Ping’s Restaurant Group finally awakened the tigress within her.

Courage took Jacqueline to her father. For the first time, Jacqueline presented her idea for a new restaurant to him. This literally began her journey of becoming a real restauranteur. Her boldness earned her a chance to build a restaurant of her dream and vision. It’s how her first baby – JIA in Thonglor was conceived and subsequently opened for diners to enjoy affordable food with an extensive variety of food and beverage choices. Her intention of building a mini-Chinatown in the centre of dazzling Thonglor was welcomed by the night owls who can enjoy food and drinks until early morning.

Jacqueline has proved herself to be the tigress of Ping’s Restaurant Group, an indispensable arm for its development and a well-trusted arm of her father.

What do I learn from Jacqueline Sim?

If this question triggers your thought on how lucky she is to have born into a wealthy family, you can stop reading further. To be able to materialize your vision is not about how wealthy you are, it’s all about having the courage and vision for the business. It’s what I’ve learnt from her.

Do you have the courage to face challenges? Do you have the courage to voice your ideas? Do you have the courage to defy fate? Do you have the courage to change your life? Have you ever had a vision of your life? Do you have the courage to take the baby step to realize your dream? Have you awakened the tiger/ tigress within you?

“People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt