Chow then came up with a concept to open a restaurant that offered Chinese food served by Italian waiters, and with a menu the British could understand.
[citation needed] Sutherland backed his idea, raised the money, and housed six chefs hired from Hong Kong.
Chow bought art by Allen Jones, Peter Blake, Patrick Caulfield, David Hockney and Jim Dine[10] for the walls, which became as celebrated as the food.
[citation needed] His restaurant chain has expanded to places such as Las Vegas, Miami, New York City and Beverly Hills.
"[13] His restaurants have been widely panned by food critics, but have remained popular for decades due to their ability to attract celebrities with the allure of fancy dining and intentionally high prices.
[17] From an early age, Chow became an obsessive collector of furniture and contemporary art, notably his now famous collection of portraits (of himself) by world-renowned artists.
[18][19] In 2011, Chow returned to his passion for painting with the encouragement of his friends, gallerist Jeffrey Deitch and artist Julian Schnabel.