The unlikely restaurateur

Chicken and Waffle.[Photo/Provided to shanghai star]

After the hard work of avoiding bankruptcy and turning a profit, Zeng found his passion - creating a unique menu for his restaurants.

His latest project, Captain Rooster, features vodka-fried chicken and craft beer. The concept came to him in a dream.

"I think I was watching Flash Gordon, whose logo also has a lightning bolt, before I went to sleep. Then in my dream there was a Captain Rooster logo. So I drew it and opened the store," Zeng says.

Having been raised in the West, Zeng's businesses reflect his passion for the food of the United States.

Captain Rooster offers a variety of chicken related dishes designed by Zeng who has created a unique menu that is frequently updated. The bar-style restaurant located close to Piro, is targeted toward young people who want to relax and have a casual dinner with friends.

Dos Locos, another restaurant owned by Zeng, features Mexican inspired food, and is popular with white-collar workers.

Both restaurants are fast and casual, a style of dining that is popular in the US.

"I am fond of trying different styles and concepts in my restaurants with the same goal - offering delicious and genuine dishes at reasonable prices in a casual environment," Zeng says.

Zeng is currently living the life of a workaholic restaurateur, and spends most of his time eating at Shanghai's best restaurants and learning how to cook professionally.

"I have to be a good cook if I want to run my restaurant well with continued progress and convince my employees to listen to me," Zeng says.

"My target is to open five fast and casual restaurants serving a variety of tasty and healthy cuisines in three years. One of them should be located in Hong Kong, as preparation for future expansion overseas," Zeng says.