Michael Chow

Michael Chow is a British Chinese restaurateur, artist and designer who has also acted in films. Born in Shanghai, he was the son of Zhou Xinfang, a leading Peking Opera actor. He studied art and architecture at London schools in the 1950s and painted in parallel with his film work, showing in London galleries. He opened the first Mr Chow in Knightsbridge in February 1968 with his business partner Robin Sutherland, serving Pekinese cuisine in a space he designed himself, and later bought Sutherland out before moving to New York. The chain expanded to Miami, Las Vegas, New York and Beverly Hills. He also designed boutiques for Giorgio Armani in Beverly Hills and Las Vegas, and returned to painting in 2011, with his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong in 2014 and a Beijing show in 2016 honoring his father.