This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nikolai Smirnoff, 29, an American restaurant owner in Hong Kong. His words have been edited for length and clarity.
At 19, with no degree and only a year left on my visa, I had no idea what would come next. Starting a business seemed like the only way I could keep living in Hong Kong.
So, I signed a four-year lease on a restaurant. I had never managed a team, raised capital, or run a kitchen. But I knew I wasn’t ready to leave. It was the first city that finally felt like home.
I was born in Portland, Oregon. At 12, my family moved to a quiet city in Japan that felt isolating. Three years later, we landed in Hong Kong, a vibrant and fast-paced city. I was 15, and I finally felt at home.
Provided by Nikolai Smirnoff
Dropping out of college
After high school, I headed back to the US for college and enrolled at Portland State to study psychology. The long commute under gray skies quickly made me miss Hong Kong.
During a visit back over Christmas, after just one semester, I realized I didn’t want to stay in the US or continue my college education.
My mom gave me two choices: pay rent or work 30 hours a week.
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I quickly realized it was a trick question, as I couldn’t pay rent without a job. I chose the latter and started working at Casa, a tapas restaurant in Sai Kung, a laid-back seaside town about an hour from Hong Kong’s city center.
I started at the bottom of the ladder, working mainly on the floor and at the bar, before becoming the bar manager after six months. Those 50-hour workweeks gave me a crash course in hospitality, stripped away social anxiety, and built up my confidence.
But a year later, reality hit. My mom was leaving Hong Kong, which meant I only had one year left on my dependent visa. To stay, I would need to get my own.
My original idea was to open a small café, but instead I scraped together my college fund, pitched investors, and, with my former manager at Casa, Courtney Horwood, opened Momentai — a 100-seat waterfront restaurant.
My mom told me, “This is your one shot — don’t expect a bailout if it fails.” That pressure was clarifying.
Provided by Nikolai Smirnoff
COVID initially worked in our favor
During the pandemic, Momentai boomed. With travel off-limits, Sai Kung became a weekend destination, and the restaurant was packed for two years. But growing to 200 seats made it less personal, more mechanical. I realized I wanted something smaller, closer to my original café dream.
In 2021, I opened Graceland in Mong Kok, a vibrant neighborhood in Hong Kong known for its street markets and energetic crowds. The restaurant, inspired by Americana, is adorned with retro posters and serves soulful Southern cuisine. I describe it as a dive bar with genuinely good food.
I met my wife, Ellen, at Momentai, where she worked during its peak. She’s from Baltimore but has lived in Hong Kong most of her life, and now runs our front of house at Graceland. We started dating just before Momentai closed, so when we opened this place, it felt natural for her to be part of it.
These days, I’m mostly behind the scenes while she’s the face everyone knows.
Provided by Nikolai Smirnoff
Being hands-on at the start
My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is that you need to be there, solving problems in real time and protecting your originality. Stepping away from social media has sharpened my creativity, letting ideas grow without outside noise.
I’ve also learned to prioritize rest. After years of overwork and burnout, I’ve focused on routines, sleep, and healthier habits. Since December, I’ve lost over 30 pounds simply by getting enough sleep and cutting down on drinking. The shift has improved both my creativity and consistency.
Outside the restaurant, I unwind by rescuing animals — we have 10 pets at home. I also play the Chapman Stick and spend time PC gaming, which gives me a social life without the constant energy drain.
My partner and I plan to stay in Hong Kong. We’ve built a community here, and if we raise kids, I would want to do it in the city that finally felt like home.
Do you have a story about moving to Asia that you want to share? Get in touch with the editor: [email protected].
