First Look: Big Sam Young and Grace Chen Honour the Chinese Diaspora at Young’s Palace

Chef-couple Big Sam Young and Grace Chen are happy exactly where they are, on Kellett Street.

“I have a very strong relationship with Potts Point,” Young tells Broadsheet. “Caffe Roma is one of the most iconic late-night venues in Sydney. Miss G’s is where I first got promoted from chef de partie to senior sous-chef – that’s a big jump. I worked in Fratelli [Paradiso], helping out, casual. Obviously, Lotus. During Covid lockdown, I sold my take-home meals in Room Ten. This suburb has a lot of meaning to me.”

That’s supersized this week, as the pair open Young’s Palace, their second restaurant, in the ex-Raja and Teddy site.

Their OG dining room, S’more in Castlecrag, is known for $400 steaks, lobster-topped spaghetti and $16,000 bottles of wine. “We’re trying to start off Young’s Palace on a different note, because I don’t want to be that guy just selling lobster and crab. I’m learning as a restaurateur.

“This restaurant is all about celebrating the immigrant story. In my opinion, without storytelling, there’s no business. I came to Australia 16 years ago, and I lost my wallet, all my travel money and my passport. That’s where I started. I started negative-2000, because my friend lent me $2000 to live. And this is where we are now. Obviously, I’ve come a long way. It’s time to rewrite that immigrant chapter – you know, the mum and dad will be hustling in the kitchen, the daughter or son will be taking orders and doing after-school homework. I think that’s got to change.”

Westernised Chinese food stars – the casual, neighbourhood Chinese joint is an amalgamation of Chinatowns all over the world, from New York to Paris, Amsterdam and Sydney. “Nothing really fancy – sweet and sour pork, honey king prawns, lemon chicken, all the real classics. We didn’t reinvent anything. It’s just food that we love to eat – the identity is the same: me and Grace, food that we love to eat.”

Five snacks start the menu off, before a trio of soups and a tight collection of proteins, with the likes of kung pao chicken, garlicky salt and pepper pork ribs, and black pepper beef. There are silky egg custards and a spanner crab egg foo young, plus noodles, rice and veggie dishes. “When we do a local neighbourhood Chinese, we want to bring it right back to that: local neighbourhood Chinese. There’s an offer for everyone.

“We do not want to do what other restaurants do. We don’t want to do Peking duck. We don’t want to do dumplings. If you want great Peking duck, go to Mr Wong. There’s an amazing dumpling shop down [the road] called TBC by Grape Garden – legends, nice, casual, easygoing, family … We eat at Fei Jai a lot. I’m all about supporting locals.”

The space looks completely different to Teddy, the funky little diner that was in residence just two months ago. That’s surprising when you consider Young and Chen did very little to the aesthetic. Pink-fringed pendant lights still hang above tables, painted stripes still circle the space, the walls are the same colour. There is new bright-red carpet, a glowing sign in the window, and a splashy Vicki Lee piece in one dining area. But really, that’s it.

“There’s a laundromat outside, a brothel next door – there’s so much history in this area. I’m going to be really raw with you, right, it’s a little bit dodgy, but it’s a little bit luxe. It’s a little bit gangster. And I think that’s where I want to be at.”

Young’s Palace opens on Friday August 22, 2025.

Young’s Palace
1 Kellet Street, Potts Point

Hours:
Wed to Sat, 5.30pm–late

youngspalace.com.au
@youngspalaces