A veteran of the hospitality industry, Christopher Mark brings his expertise as a chef and restaurant developer to Black Sheep Restaurants. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Chris developed his culinary skills cooking in exciting places such as Barbados, Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo. Prior to co-founding Black Sheep Restaurants, Chris was the executive chef at Dining Concepts where he opened many popular restaurants in Hong Kong, including Bistecca and Tango Argentina. An active member of Hong Kong’s culinary community, Chris was elected the secretary for Disciples Escoffier of the Hong Kong Branch for the 2011 – 2012 year and contributes to philanthropic organisations like St. Christopher’s home, where he gives cooking lessons and provides recipes to children from underprivileged backgrounds.

Syed Asim Hussain co-founded Black Sheep Restaurants in 2012, becoming one of the most prolific innovators at the forefront of Hong Kong’s ever-evolving culinary scene.

Hussain grew up in his father’s Hong Kong restaurants during summers home from schooling in Pakistan and developed a love affair with the storytelling and hospitality of the restaurant industry. He went on to earn a dual bachelor’s degree in finance and international relations from Carnegie Mellon University and then worked at leading brokerage house BNY ConvergEX in New York City.

Feeling the pull back into restaurants, Asim returned to Hong Kong in 2010 and toiled his way through different apprenticeships to gain a deeper understanding of the business. He met chef Christopher Mark at work, and the two connected over their desire to shake up the city’s dining scene and create ‘new authentic’ experiences. Together they founded the aptly named Black Sheep Restaurants with the goal of creating a dynamic community and enriching team culture while telling compelling stories through food.

When not looking after the Black Sheep Restaurants’ family or guests in his restaurants, Asim is passionate about all things Pakistan, including poetry, politics and cricket. He is a board member and the Hong Kong founding member of CARE Pakistan, a non-profit providing quality and marketable education for Pakistan’s youth.