Uncle Hon’s BBQ, which serves Texas BBQ with a Chinese twist, is looking to transform of the former Silo site above Crate Brewery in Hackney Wick into an 80-cover, canal-side restaurant that will combine Texan BBQ, Asian influence, and a late-night music programme.
On Friday and Saturday nights, the new venue will transition into a music-led space, featuring DJs, live performances, and a late-night menu of grilled dishes.
The concept will draw on Luk’s long-standing involvement in London’s music scene, including his background running a record shop and working as a DJ.
To help bring the project to life, the restaurant has set a fundraising target of £30,000 on Kickstarter to go towards essential infrastructure and equipment, with stretch goals of up to £60,000 designed to further enhance the space to include the purchase of a live fire grill, tripling cooking capacity and the installation of a professional sound system.
Supporters of the crowdfunder campaign can pre-book meals with early access to reservations, join exclusive BBQ masterclasses led by Luk, and contribute donations of any amount to support the project.
The story of Uncle Hon’s BBQ began in 2021 when Luk took a trip to Austin, Texas, and was introduced to Interstellar BBQ pit master John Bates. He returned to Austin in early 2022 to train, despite having no professional kitchen experience at the time.
Back in the UK, Luk ran a number of pop-ups and in August 2023 Uncle Hon’s BBQ secured its first long-term residency at All My Friends in Hackney Wick, running until December last year.
The restaurant will be independently funded, backed primarily by Luk, with personal savings invested into the project.