Yeah.

I hope today
through this session

both parties can have a blast.

And at any time if you feel that
you want to voice out or ask

questions, please feel free.

OK.

So when I first
got the invitation

to come to Google Hong Kong,
I was thinking to myself,

what the hell am I
going to do at Google?

Seriously.

Because you guys
are the people I

go to when I look at my stuff.

Seriously.

It could be through
the search engine.

It could be through maps.

I like to travel a lot.

I could throw on a backpack
and just wander off somewhere

into the world
and see the world.

So I'm always
navigating through maps.

And lately, actually,
speaking of which,

I've been trying to pick
up on more Japanese.

So I do this a
lot now every day.

Hey Siri-san.

SIRI: [SPEAKING JAPANESE]

NICHOLAS TSE:
[SPEAKING JAPANESE]

SIRI: [SPEAKING JAPANESE]

NICHOLAS TSE: I've been trying
to pick up on more Japanese.

So lately I've made Google
Translate my best friend.

So I've even--

[CROWD CHEERING]

I'm even forcing my
smartphone to converse

in Japanese with me, because
we only have 24 hours a day.

So yeah.

But I must say, sometimes
the translations

are still a bit funky.

But 80% of the time it
does the job very well.

So thank you for
whoever out there that's

making my life a lot easier.

So yes.

I do visit you guys very,
very often every day.

But I'm not here to talk
about what we can Google.

I think you guys
out of everybody

knows best what we can
search on the internet.

But maybe today we could touch
on some other keywords where we

cannot fully understand
through the internet,

maybe keywords like creativity.

I think creativity for me,
it's the biggest thing.

Either it be through my music,
or my food shows, or movies,

or my business.

Because I think without
creativity we cannot really

ensure our place in the market.

And eventually you will be
left behind in the world.

Creativity comes in many
different forms and styles,

I guess.

It doesn't have to
be through movies

or that kind of artistry.

It could be through tennis.

It could be through agriculture,
architecture, woodworking,

lecturing, whatever it may be.

It could be through
programming or engineering.

I think if Google
was not as creative

when they were doing the
algorithms back then,

it would not be
what it is today.

So a lot of people
would say, yeah,

I'm not the creative type.

No.

We all are.

We just have to
find that one edge.

We have to find how we can
synergize and capitalize

on that on our own strengths.

But it is getting harder
and harder to be creative,

I think, in this world,
because everyday we

are flooded by so much
content in our phones.

All the blogs that we
look at, all the comments,

all the likes, all the
streaming, all the films.

Everything.

But unknowingly,
unknowingly we are so almost

too inspired to a point where
we are losing ourselves,

because we are taking in
everybody else's ideas--

their thoughts, their voices.

Therefore, if we are
not creative enough,

we tend to what we call--

we would ride on
other people's ideas.

Let's twist.

Let's tweak.

Let's-- in [INAUDIBLE] we
would say [SPEAKING CHINESE]..

But when we get into
a habit of that,

we forget about being original,
being really creative,

starting our own ideas.

And to me that is very, very
dangerous, because if what

you put out is no different
than the person next to you,

if what you contribute
to the company

is just the same as
everybody else in the room,

let me tell you something.

Next year you won't be here.

The company doesn't need you.

Eventually the market
doesn't need you.

And the world--
they don't need you.

So constantly ask
yourself how you

can contribute more than
the person next to you.

I've been in my industry
for more than 22 years now.

And I tell you, I ask myself
that question every damn day.

Every day.

Through music, through
film, through my shows,

through my business.

How do I be more creative?

That is very, very hard.

And maybe even in some fields,
it's getting harder and harder.

Like in music, I would say
that it is harder for me

now to compose a very
good piece of music

than it was 15, 20 years
ago, because the time

signatures or the
combinations of the notes

are simply being taken up.

It is harder to write
something original than now

and have it not sound like that
it has been written by someone,

sometime, like some
song back then.

Because it's been done.

But in our world,
that's what is happening

is because all the ideas
are being voiced up.

And we are seeing it.

So if we don't voice out
loud enough, clear enough,

soon enough, we are
actually behind.

So I urge you--

the first key word that
I would want to touch on

is actually creativity.

Does anybody have
anything to say?

Any other things that
you want to talk about?

Another word I would say is--

a keyword for me is
experience, especially--

well, experience in terms of the
verb experience, not the noun

experience,
especially for you lot

where your work
requires you to sit

behind a desk and a computer
the whole day, maybe

the whole year.

But I would say that
it is very important

to get out there to the world
and really experience it.

Because I think the phone
still only brings you halfway.

And you must walk
the other half.

You know, nowadays
when I'm chatting

with a lot of the younger
generation kids, what really

happens a lot is that
maybe the topic would

be along the line
of, man, I was in--

I was-- I was in
Finland last weekend.

The Aurora lights,
they were beautiful.

And then the kid would
say something like, yeah.

I know.

I know.

I saw it on YouTube.

Or yeah, yeah.

That was really cool.

I saw it on Facebook.

Yeah.

OK.

Sure.

I'm sure it's an opening.

It's an idea.

It's a glimpse of
what it really is.

But if that's how
you see things,

you don't know (WHISPERED).

Again, it's a great
entrance to the world.

But it's halfway.

Please, when the opportunity
allows, get off your butt

and walk the other half, which
may be even more important.

OK.

Experience the world.

OK.

The phone is awesome.

The net is awesome.

But that is halfway, halfway.

Is it too early for
you guys, because you

guys look kind of stale.

[LAUGHTER]

James, maybe we could
start with a more Q&A.

If anybody wants,
please jump in.

AUDIENCE: One of the
things that is on our minds

is also giving back
about creativity,

it's about experience.

A lot of that is
because we're sort

of going through life
through a screen,

and we're not interacting much.

Here at Google we spent a lot
of time thinking about what

we're doing for Hong Kong, how
we're supporting non-profits,

how we're providing
services for schools--

training kids that
code, for example.

What advice do you have for
us, and also for the broader

millennial crowd who is
interested in doing something

for Hong Kong?

How to get started.

How to think about that.

And what approach to take.

Thank you.

NICHOLAS TSE: Thank you.

I think keep doing
what you're doing.

Really.

But we cannot lose the--

what we're trying to do is
share, I think, in this era.

And of course, sharing comes
in different forms also.

And that's what
Chef Nic, the brand,

is trying to do is
because I think even now,

when you see families going
off to go out to dinners,

they're eating through
looking through their--

looking through their
phones the whole time.

Actually, that's
losing the true essence

of why we are eating together.

And that's what we're trying to
promote through the "Chef Nic"

show is [SPEAKING CHINESE].

What is [SPEAKING CHINESE] is to
actually enjoy a meal together.

And that's why-- that's what
cooking has also taught me.

is let me tell you.

I was in really, really
bad terms with my parents

for the longest time.

I was in boarding school
ever since I was 12.

And then at the age of
14, I was sent to Tokyo

to start training in music.

By 16, I started working.

And I never really
got a chance to have

a relationship with my parents.

And we've been on bad
terms for the longest time,

until, until I started cooking.

Because when you cook, it's the
food-- you don't eat it alone.

You want to share it.

You want to get some feedbacks.

And it gave me a
medium to know how

to talk to my parents and
say, [SPEAKING CHINESE]..

Or Mom, and [SPEAKING CHINESE].

Whatever you cooked back
then was really cool.

And you want to teach me?

It became-- now it's
a habit, you know.

Does the food matter?

Of course it does.

But what really matters is how
you find your way to share.

And I think keep doing
what you're doing.

But if you can think
of the third party,

then I think that the whole
picture is much bigger.

JAMES TAO: Cool.

Why don't you take a seat.

NICHOLAS TSE: OK.

JAMES TAO: We'll chat a little
bit and get comfortable.

It was very inspiring
talk hearing talk

about creativity and the
journey where you just

mentioned how cooking brought
you and your family closer

together.

NICHOLAS TSE: Right.

JAMES TAO: So a little
bit on "Chef Nic."

It's now in its fifth season.

We're seeing a lot of traction
both online and offline.

But I want to kind of turn
back the clock back to 2014.

What besides what you just
mentioned about the parents

thing-- but what was the
thing that made you transition

from the singer, the actor
[INAUDIBLE] to Chef Nic?

And what was that
transition like?

NICHOLAS TSE: I didn't think I--

I wasn't looking for
a transition, really.

I thought I could do
everything together.

Right?

I'm still doing music.

I'm still doing films.

It's weird, because
people look at this

like I'm moving from
woodworking to pharmacy.

It's not that far.

I think what I'm doing with
food, with movies, and also

music, and the
business together, I

think, as a whole it
has perfect synergy.

I don't think that
they're really unrelated.

And that's how I do things.

If I cannot pull
resources from somewhere,

somehow to contribute
into a new thing I do,

then I really would reconsider
to either do it or not.

Because to start fresh at
a later age-- later age--

is maybe at a disadvantage.

But first of all, I found
food to be a true passion.

And then I also saw that it
would be the next biggest thing

after communication and tech.

So I thought how I
could kind of rejuvenate

the whole entertainment
business of mine

and make it a long
lasting one, I guess.

JAMES TAO: Was this
interest in food something

that was always there?

NICHOLAS TSE: It
was always there.

But I thought to make
it a bit more serious.

And at the time I think
mainland China was actually--

it was really lacking a
decent food or lifestyle show.

JAMES TAO: OK.

NICHOLAS TSE: Yeah.

So we started 2014.

Right?

JAMES TAO: Yeah.

NICHOLAS TSE: And
we just finished

the fifth season this year.

JAMES TAO: Yeah.

I've been watching.

NICHOLAS TSE: Thank you.

JAMES TAO: So on the food topic,
I'm sure you hear this a lot.

And even people who know
me doing this have asked

this as well is that, you've
never worked in the kitchen.

Can you really cook?

Like, obviously I heard stories.

And I know that you put a lot
of hard work and dedication

and courage into being who
you are today and achieving

what you've done.

But not everybody has seen that.

So what goes through
your mind when

you hear criticism like this?

And how do you deal with?

NICHOLAS TSE: It's
logically acceptable.

Because first of
all, we may think

that because someone has not
been doing something for really

long, they can't be good at it.

Right?

That's the logic.

It's OK.

It's OK.

But that's almost like saying--

let put it this way.

That's almost like saying
we as a human race,

we've been using the landline
telephone for centuries.

Why don't we stick with it?

That must be the best way.

So dump all your iPhones.

Dump all your mobiles right now.

Let's go back to the landline,
because we've been doing

that for the longest time.

Right?

That's like saying,
we as a human race,

we've been using the--

we've been driving gasoline
automobiles for centuries.

So has Elon Musk gone
crazy to start Tesla?

Why are there so many
electronic cars out there now?

Because that must
be the best way,

because we've been doing
it for the longest time.

I think we are
that narrow-minded.

That really frightens me,
because we are in a new era.

There are perks
and different texts

now out there that allows us
to pick up on information much

more rapidly than it has been
in the traditional kitchen,

I would say.

Oh, I'm sorry.

But the way I've heard is
maybe the first apprentice cook

would be peeling vegetables
for maybe a year or two.

But I have my ways, or I
have saved up enough money

to be peeling something
much more in the first year.

JAMES TAO: Yeah.

I mean, like we hear
all these stories

about like, chefs
training in Japan

and like they're washing
rice for like seven years

before they can make sushi.

NICHOLAS TSE: Right.

So is that the
best and only way?

I don't think we can be that
narrow-minded in thinking

like that.

Of course, there has
been a lot of hard work

and time and effort put into it.

But I don't have
to get into those.

JAMES TAO: Yeah.

But how do you stay focused
on doing what you need to do?

Do you have like a system?

Do you have a way to do things?

Because obviously
it's a lot of work.

NICHOLAS TSE: It's
a lot of work.

JAMES TAO: There's a lot
of learning involved.

Like, how do you stay organized?

How do you stay focused?

NICHOLAS TSE: That's one thing
I learned in the kitchen is

time management.

Because when you're trying to
serve two dishes, it's easy.

For two, it's easy.

For four, it's OK.

For eight, yeah, it's not bad.

But when you try and do eight
dishes for a table of 10,

and they all have to be
hot when you serve like,

in Chinese food.

It's not that easy.

And when you do one
of my Michelin galas,

when you're serving for 700,
they still have to be hot.

And you've got eight
minutes of serving time

for 700 fine dining.

It's very hard.

But then you learn.

Gradually, eventually you
learn how to pace ourselves.

And then your organization.

Like what I just
demonstrated on my phone.

I try to squeeze in all these
little seconds and milliseconds

in my life to gain
just that much more.

But I guess when there's
a will, there's a way.

I don't know your
time schedules.

But you figure that
out for yourself.

But there are these
little gaps in life

where you can just
squeeze in a bit more here

and there, knowledge.

And then eventually
that adds up.

That adds up.

Yeah.

JAMES TAO: Yeah.

I think it's amazing how you're
able to balance so many things

and do everything so well.

NICHOLAS TSE: And I'm a very--

naturally I'm a very
[SPEAKING CHINESE] person.

I'm a very--

I'm very curious
about everything.

You know?

I mean, I look up stuff just to
know, just to ask why, where,

when, how.

And when I start
something, I don't

like to stop until I
actually get somewhere.

That's just a personality.

JAMES TAO: Yeah, I've heard
many stories as well about--

NICHOLAS TSE: Really?

JAMES TAO: --deep you go and
how kind of focused you are,

and how deep down you drill
into everything that you

try to learn.

And I think that's something
that's very admirable.

NICHOLAS TSE: Oh.

I can be a pain in the
ass in that aspect.

Yeah.

JAMES TAO: But like I said,
you're a man of many hats.

You're developing a
chef career on the side.

You have music.

You have acting.

All that together.

Kind of bringing the
conversation back

to where it started with music,
your last Cantonese album

was in 2005.

NICHOLAS TSE: Really?

JAMES TAO: One step closer.

NICHOLAS TSE: Right.

JAMES TAO: And then
your last Mandarin album

was 10 years ago.

It was 2009.

NICHOLAS TSE: Oh.

JAMES TAO: So I know you
haven't stopped doing music.

So you've done movie songs,
you did songs for your show.

And over the past 12
months, personally, I've

seen you kind of do
a little bit more.

Started with 2018 [INAUDIBLE]
in that performance.

You launched three
singles this year.

You were a guest
judge on "The Voice."

And now just recently you
had the RTHK performance.

So is this
foreshadowing something?

Are we going to see more
music coming from you in 2019?

NICHOLAS TSE: I didn't
really plan this.

I think I'm just going
with the flow, really.

Sometimes.

But I think at different times
with different inspirations,

or sometimes I feel that
there are different advantages

for different fields.

You know how sometimes
the stock market,

it's doing better
than the real estate.

Sometimes music is
doing better than film.

And that's how I can kind of
weasel around and do my thing,

because there's never one
trend that's always at the top.

That's actually true.

If you really look
at the market,

something is always
doing a bit better.

And if the trend is like that,
and you kind of catch the wave,

man, you're on top.

Because when we started
the "Chef Nic" show,

we are definitely the
biggest food show in China.

When we started in 2014,
by the third season

we were doing over
300 million RMB.

And now we're in
the fifth season.

But if you catch the wave,
that's a different thing.

That's a different thing.

So I think we're doing
very stable in "Chef Nic."

So I think now I have
the time to kind of--

JAMES TAO: Do more music.

NICHOLAS TSE: --do more music.

JAMES TAO: So does that
mean we'll see the album--

an album this year?

NICHOLAS TSE: I don't know if
I'm working on a full album.

But I don't really think if
that really matters anymore

in the new market.

Right?

But yeah.

JAMES TAO: But what does matter?

NICHOLAS TSE: I'm hoping for--

I'm actually working
on a concert.

But there's--

JAMES TAO: That's what
we were going to ask.

NICHOLAS TSE: In
Hong Kong everybody

is starting a concert as if
they have nothing else to do.

[LAUGHTER]

JAMES TAO: And still
hard to buy tickets.

So.

NICHOLAS TSE: We need
a bigger stadium.

That's what we need.

Yeah.

JAMES TAO: We need a bigger--

NICHOLAS TSE: A
new, bigger stadium.

JAMES TAO: --platform.

We need more creativity.

NICHOLAS TSE: Maybe that's
why I can book my stadium

schedule, because I've been
dissing it the whole time.

JAMES TAO: Well, time to
get creative and think

about something different.

Right?

Back on the topic of
[SPEAKING CHINESE],,

"The Voice."

A lot of people have said that
this season was a lot better

than previous seasons.

I think so.

Personally, I think you
being on it injected

kind of a different dynamic.

It was-- it was interesting to
see how seriously you took it.

Again, stories.

I heard a story
that maybe I want

you to share with everybody
about the drumming performance.

So I actually heard from Derek
how hard you prepared for it

and how you kept on--

NICHOLAS TSE: Well, preparation
for the performance is a given.

But actually, when you talk
about "The Voice," what I would

actually want to share is--

I don't know how many
people has watched the show.

But you know how I
got totally bashed

when I started hammering
onto the button at first

in the first two episodes,
because there are actually

these two new perks.

They changed the way the
game played this year.

That to start off with,
all the contestants--

there are about 150
contestants put into one room.

And they are
watching a live feed

of whatever is happening
on stage-- the performance,

along with the judges'
comments and how

they would choose their team.

That's one thing.

The second thing is, each judge
would have a six-person quota

to choose into
assembling their team.

And if you do choose
a seventh person,

that person would have to
battle out any of their chosen--

the person from
the original team.

So thinking like that,
there are a few things

I tried doing is the
first episode, if people

who have seen the show would see
me just hearing the first two

sentences, and then I would
be smashing onto the button.

And then the
reporters, the viewers,

who would say, he doesn't
know Jack about music!

Go back to cooking!

How could you choose
someone from just listening

for the first two words?

What I found out was, I am
very aware that for the past 10

years, like you said--

my last album was
maybe 10 years ago--

I'm very aware that a
lot of the younger kids,

they don't see me as a singer.

They don't see me as a musician.

If I were to fight for
these contestants over--

with the other judges, I would
have a very big disadvantage.

The only way I could plant some
ideas into the 150 contestants

that are watching
the live feed is

by hammering onto that button
and slowly turning around,

because therefore,
I have the floor.

I have the power of speech.

Because they didn't
choose the person.

I did.

So actually I'm trying
to voice out and tell

not the person on the stage,
but the 150 in the room,

what I have done or
what my views on music

is so that they would feel more
comfortable joining my team.

But then, man, I got
totally bashed by the media,

by everybody else.

Yeah, stop this guy, or
he's crazy, or whatever.

And that's one thing I
found that was really

helping me out strategically.

The second thing is people
are also bashing me for--

I would choose a
lot of contestants

because I was solely
pressing onto the button.

But what I was also
doing is, I found out

if you had to choose
a seventh member,

and if your whole team was
equally matched, six of them

were equally as good, it's
very hard for a newcomer

to choose who they
would like to battle.

But if you have two that are--

it's cruel to say
this-- but, if you

have two that is
obviously a bit weaker,

it's easier for the
newcomer to choose from.

So you could always keep
on upgrading your team,

if that makes sense to anybody.

But strategically, I think I've
done something new in the show.

Yeah.

JAMES TAO: So it seems like you
took a very strategic approach

on how you picked your
team and how you--

NICHOLAS TSE: Yes.

But at the end, I hope
all these elements

would bring a better show.

JAMES TAO: Yeah.

Right.

So how long was the filming
of the entire process?

NICHOLAS TSE: The
shooting days was 29 days.

But the whole process
with all the rehearsal

and all the training
was maybe three months.

JAMES TAO: So over that span,
like being on "The Voice"

and this is a relatively
new experience for you.

NICHOLAS TSE: Yeah.

JAMES TAO: What do you think
was the biggest thing that you

learned or gained from that?

NICHOLAS TSE: For me,
it was a great platform

to get back into
music, because it

has the most reach right now
in terms of variety shows

in China.

So.

JAMES TAO: Are you
going back next season?

NICHOLAS TSE: I don't know.

I don't know.

JAMES TAO: OK.

But some stuff like that, like
kind of music shows and stuff

are still something
you'd like to--

NICHOLAS TSE: Definitely.

JAMES TAO: --be
more involved in?

NICHOLAS TSE: Definitely.

JAMES TAO: OK.

As I talked about at the
beginning of the talk,

you're the first guest
we're having here at Talks

at Google in Hong Kong.

So I'd be remiss not to
bring the conversation back

to tech a little bit.

NICHOLAS TSE: All right.

JAMES TAO: I heard that you're
a very heavy YouTube user.

So let's start from there.

[LAUGHTER]

NICHOLAS TSE: No, no.

JAMES TAO: You told
me in the room.

NICHOLAS TSE: Sure.

JAMES TAO: So what's your
view on kind of technology

and how we interact with
platforms like YouTube

and other social media?

And how do you think that
plays into today's world,

and even your own
life and career?

NICHOLAS TSE: Well,
definitely for me

it's a very important
part of my life now.

I think for any of us, really.

We've just got gotten into
the habit of learning a lot.

Even like, my kids,
they're always on YouTube.

Seriously.

I think the tech
nowadays, it has really

enhanced the speed of
our learning curve.

We are picking up the goods
and bads through the internet.

Like, even through food--

like how tech has really
changed food immensely

through the past 10 years now.

The delivery system
has allowed us

to choose fresh goods from
the internet, stuff like that.

JAMES TAO: You're not a very
heavy user on social media.

NICHOLAS TSE: Right.

I'm not a social media guy.

But if there's a
destination I'm looking for,

then I would
definitely go on it.

JAMES TAO: Do you feel
that social media nowadays

has kind of become something
that more or less kind

of consumes people and has
become more of an addiction

for some people--

NICHOLAS TSE: Well, definitely.

JAMES TAO: --takes away from
the benefits of technology?

NICHOLAS TSE: But
then I think it's

a balance between for
everything that we do.

If we go to extreme, it's
always kind of harmful.

So we just have
to balance it out.

JAMES TAO: Is that
why you're not on it?

Or you just don't like it?

NICHOLAS TSE: I'm just not
in the habit of doing the--

that maybe it's just not me.

Right?

JAMES TAO: But it's--

I think it's also a platform
for you to kind share

your views sure and
share what you've done

and something like that.

So maybe something to consider.

NICHOLAS TSE: Of course.

Of course.

JAMES TAO: I'm sure if you
opened up a YouTube channel

and shared your cooking
tips, everyone here

would be love to subscribe.

NICHOLAS TSE: But then
that's another thing

right now that's really--

there's a bit of a
language barrier.

I mean, I have a lot of clips,
but they're in Mandarin.

JAMES TAO: Yeah.

NICHOLAS TSE: So if I
do put it on YouTube,

then I would have to kind of
redo the exact same thing,

but one maybe in
English or in Cantonese.

That really pisses me off.

Right?

I have to do three
of the same thing.

I would have to kill three
fish to do a steam fish.

JAMES TAO: Yeah.

And if you only kill
one fish, people

will be commenting
again and saying--

NICHOLAS TSE: Right?

JAMES TAO: --there's
already a cut there.

Yeah.

[LAUGHTER]

OK, I've been meaning
to ask you about a show

that you did called "Celebrity
Chef East Versus West."

So you faced off against
star chef David Rocco.

And it was a five
episodes mini-series.

And spoiler alert-- you won.

Why did you choose to
go film an English show?

What was that experience like?

NICHOLAS TSE: Well, back to
the part where a lot of people

has been doubting me
for the cooking part.

So all you could
do really is just

to go the extent to
prove yourselves.

I think that in--

I've been doing that
in every field, really.

That's why I put myself
through competitions.

Especially when you do a
foreign show like from Fox.

Then it's not a "Chef Nic" show.

That if I can't prove myself
through that kind of platform,

then the haters will be haters.

But at least I've
gone the extent.

I might even be
going back this year

to be judging or even competing.

I'm OK with competing.

But, yeah.

I think you just have
to find yourself to--

find ways to prove yourself.

I have done many crazy
stuff just to prove myself.

But sometimes that's the
extent you would have to do.

I've jumped off buildings.

I've jumped off convention
center in Hong Kong

to do my movies.

JAMES TAO: "Police Story."

NICHOLAS TSE: Right.

When people also thought
that I-- because I'm

the son of two
celebrities-- maybe

I don't take my job seriously.

And that's-- that's why I've
been putting myself through all

this hardship and this pain
and buildings after buildings,

because if that's not serious
enough for you, then what is?

It may be silly to some people.

But then you go try it.

Right?

JAMES TAO: I mean, I'm
sure in the room not

everybody is familiar with how
you started and everything.

But definitely as someone who
grew up in that generation,

I was able to witness
all the negative--

NICHOLAS TSE: Yeah, yeah.

JAMES TAO: All right.

Same generation.

But I was-- yeah.

NICHOLAS TSE: For
people who doesn't know,

the first four years of
my career was 99% booing.

I would not get any
applause anywhere.

The minute I stepped onstage it
was all boos and foul language

and profanities.

Four years.

JAMES TAO: And it wasn't
because of what you did.

It was because of your
background and who you were.

NICHOLAS TSE: Sure.

Sure.

And it was really, really
tough for four years.

Every time I walked
off stage I would

see my managers and my team.

They would be just--

they would be all holding
their fist and just crying.

And I would be the only one that
could walk back to the changing

room and cool myself down.

But I would have to endure that
for every day for four years.

JAMES TAO: And you kept going.

NICHOLAS TSE: Because back
then we had so much promotion

to do, all the performances.

Back then it was
work after work.

And because there
was no internet yet.

So everything was live.

Every day was live.

Every time before
I walked on stage,

I would almost get
paranoid about being booed.

Because it got to
an extent where

I could not hear one word
of the song I was singing.

It was getting that nasty.

Then somewhere in year
2000, it turned around.

JAMES TAO: What was
the turning point?

NICHOLAS TSE: I don't know, man.

JAMES TAO: You don't know.

NICHOLAS TSE: Maybe, maybe there
was some new kid to pick on.

Or maybe they just got
tired of all the hating.

JAMES TAO: Or maybe they saw--

NICHOLAS TSE: Or maybe there
was enough buildings jumped.

But what I mean is--

JAMES TAO: You didn't jump
the convention in 2000.

NICHOLAS TSE: No, I didn't.

I jumped it in a 2003
or somewhere like that

with Mr. Jackie Chan.

But yeah.

When there is that
need, you just

have to find your way to excel.

Maybe there are some crazy
things that we've got to do.

JAMES TAO: Thank you for that.

Any live questions?

AUDIENCE: So during
the first few years

when things were really tough,
did you ever doubt yourself

and think that you just
weren't good enough?

And if you did,
what kept you going?

NICHOLAS TSE: I did.

But maybe for a very short time.

I never doubted myself
in terms of music.

I never doubted myself in
terms of all the hard work

I was putting in.

I believe in--

I think I'm a logical person.

And I think anybody
can accomplish anything

if you work hard enough.

Really, I don't think
there was a time where

I think I could have given up.

I would just-- I'm the
person that does not give up.

Naturally, I just have
that kind of personality.

And the second thing
is, I can't give up,

because I had to make a living.

A lot of people would
imagine that because I

came from a family of two
actors and actresses--

an actress-- that I don't
take my job seriously.

But I've been self-sustained
ever since my debut.

At the age of 20 I'd been
paying my sister's education.

So that's behind
the scenes stories.

But I could not afford to
give up my job back then.

So I took everything more
seriously than anybody

would have ever thought.

JAMES TAO: I have
a question online.

Do you think though you've been
in, like I said, over 50 films.

NICHOLAS TSE: I
didn't know that.

JAMES TAO: Yeah.

I looked that up.

What's your outlook on the
genre of [SPEAKING CHINESE]??

Do you think there's a future?

What do you think the
future looks like?

NICHOLAS TSE: Back to
the creativity thing.

I think we are--

Hong Kong right now is-- we
are really lacking this part.

I think we have been
geniuses in the stock market.

We are excellent in
the real estate market.

But maybe that's
the last generation,

the past generations.

To get by in this
generation we've

got to be really creative
in our own fields.

Like in movies.

If you're talking about
the movie industry.

I think we've all had our
fair shares of the Marvel DC

franchises where we've all seen
our Supermans, our Batmans,

our Ironmans, our Hulks, our
Flashes, our Wonder Womans,

our--

I can go on and on.

And we have all seen them.

The thing is, don't
we have 5,000 years

of history and culture?

But yet we are still
shooting the monkey king.

Right?

[SPEAKING CHINESE]

Right?

So I urge any of
you guys out there,

if you guys ever fantasize
about our own superheroes,

please jot down something.

Write a paragraph or two.

Send them to me or to
whoever that you think

can make something happen.

Because we have to.

If we don't, we're going to be
really, really behind really,

really far.

JAMES TAO: Send in
your movie idea to me.

I'll pass them along.

Yeah.

The next live question.

AUDIENCE: The
question I want to ask

is, can you share with us
one of the failure story,

or the moment you doubt
yourself-- is a good decision

to kick off this
"Chef Nic" show?

And then if that is
yes, how you overcome?

How you self-motivate
yourself and then

bring back your passion.

Thank you.

NICHOLAS TSE: Thank you.

Failures.

Wow.

Many failures, really.

But I think in
business I would say

one of the more obvious
ones were I invested

in a company that
did a post-production

at the age of 22, 23.

That was 2003.

I started a post company--

post-production company.

And we would do
computer graphics.

We would do color grading.

We would do editing.

Dubbing for a lot of commercials
and films and stuff like that.

Right?

So when you're in that kind
of a hardware tech company,

you buy a lot of stuff.

You buy a lot of--

we call [INAUDIBLE],, editors,
and mics, and this and that.

But back then we were at
the end of the analog trend.

And all of a sudden
things changed.

They don't use tapes anymore.

They went from
analog to digital.

But all my hardware,
they were a lot of money.

So all those all of a
sudden went into the can.

And that's-- to the well
where I was just saying,

if you can catch the trend,
that's a different story.

I didn't back then.

And I lost I lost a
lot of money back then.

I had to mortgage my
house and all that.

But that was on me.

You know, everything
just changed.

But do I-- at that
time it was hard.

But I still believed in the
network that I had built,

all the connections, and
the work we were doing.

And then at the end we were OK.

But there were a few years
that was really, really tough.

But as long as-- you
have to stick with it.

I mean, a lot of stuff I do,
it doesn't reflect right away.

Most of the stuff doesn't
reflect right away.

The "Chef Nic" show
didn't reflect right away.

But eventually, eventually.

Like how everybody would
doubt me through my--

in my culinary journey.

But then last month,
or two months just now,

I think maybe a lot of people
had also had the "Chef Nic"

McDonald burger.

JAMES TAO: It was really good.

NICHOLAS TSE: Thank you.

Thank you.

At that price I think
we did a great job.

And you know, Ashley,
right after this meeting

I'm going into inventing--
into the Central Kitchen

to invent the 2019 one again.

And we sold within five weeks--
just only in Hong Kong--

we sold over 2 million burgers.

And there is only,
let me remind you,

only 6 point somewhat million
population in Hong Kong.

JAMES TAO: I ate like, five.

So.

NICHOLAS TSE: Thank you.

I thank you.

But then, yes.

It took five years to
kind of prove yourself.

Just you really have
to stick with it.

JAMES TAO: On the-- just
a quick question also

online on the McDonald's
collaboration.

Throughout the whole
process, how many burgers

did you have to eat?

NICHOLAS TSE: Man, I ate--

I ate a lot of burgers.

And there are--

I ate a lot of burgers.

We also tested a lot of the
fries, a lot of the ice cream,

a lot of drinks.

And yeah.

There were a lot of other
crazy stuff that we tested.

JAMES TAO: What's that
creative process working

to create a new menu item?

Or to do something that's
never been done before?

Like the pork chop.

NICHOLAS TSE: Right.

That one's so good.

Yes!

JAMES TAO: So good.

NICHOLAS TSE: That's
part of being creative.

I think that's
something that I really

enjoy is creating menus or
writing songs and making

something my own.

And when they gave me the
homework to start up something

that has [SPEAKING CHINESE],,
Hong Kong [SPEAKING CHINESE]..

It actually-- I didn't know how
to translate that, that taste--

JAMES TAO: Taste of Hong Kong.

Right.

NICHOLAS TSE: I
was thinking how I

could relate the
taste of my childhood

to a McDonald's burger.

And there are other
ideas that I'm still

working on right now, maybe
later in the kitchen today.

Stuff like you know how
Hong Kong people love

their [SPEAKING CHINESE]?

Right?

I would always think
that it would probably

work with a [SPEAKING CHINESE].

Right?

Because that's almost
the same thing.

But maybe a [SPEAKING CHINESE].

Right.

Exactly.

But then there are ups and
downs we have to overcome.

Like if we do work
on a curry dish,

then the kids would be left out.

Right?

So it's a long journey.

But I really love it.

These are some of the creative
juices that I have to get out.

JAMES TAO: I can't wait to
see what you have in store.

NICHOLAS TSE: Thank you.

Thank you.

JAMES TAO: Any other questions?

AUDIENCE: Thank you for coming.

NICHOLAS TSE: Thank you.

AUDIENCE: And thank
you for being so

honest with everything you say.

I can just feel it that
you're not scripted.

So, thanks, James.

It seems like you have a lot
of wisdom invested in a company

back when you were 22,
even though it kind of went

through rough times.

So through all these times,
do you look up to somebody?

Is somebody your mentor that
has always been since day one?

Or that has evolved depending
on which part of the industry

that you're in?

NICHOLAS TSE: Good
question, actually.

I don't have that person.

I've always thought
of my mentor as logic.

I've really not gone
to anybody about much

of this kind of stuff.

Maybe I should.

Really.

But I just don't have
that person in life.

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

NICHOLAS TSE: So yes.

In my company, yes.

That's actually interesting.

I don't have that person.

JAMES TAO: Are you open
to seeking mentorship?

Like seeking help
and asking for that?

Or I don't know.

Like--

[LAUGHTER]

AUDIENCE: [INAUDIBLE]

JAMES TAO: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

No.

But what I'm saying is--

NICHOLAS TSE: Did you guys
open like a new department?

JAMES TAO: Like, I know you
help a lot of young people.

But you're also a young
person yourself, right?

So when you do come across--

NICHOLAS TSE: Same generation.

JAMES TAO: Yeah, yeah.

Same generation.

When you do come across
difficult decisions and stuff,

do you just solely--

you're comfortable relying
on yourself and just

thinking that through?

That's something I'm actually
really interested in,

because I'm facing similar kind
of situations for my career.

NICHOLAS TSE: I've
always been able to--

I've always been able
to gradually work out

the problems in my life.

So yeah.

I've really not found
that person to go to.

And then because of
the different fields

that I work on,
sometimes it's music.

Sometimes it's film.

Sometimes it's business.

Sometimes it's
kind of a bit tech.

So there's not really
that one person I

can talk to regarding
all the different fields.

AUDIENCE: Believe it
or not, some of us

actually delayed our
[INAUDIBLE] flight so we

can [INAUDIBLE] your talk.

NICHOLAS TSE: Thank you.

Thank you.

JAMES TAO: Some people
actually flew in.

NICHOLAS TSE: Really?

AUDIENCE: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

NICHOLAS TSE: Thank you.

Thank you.

AUDIENCE: So I'm curious to
know what are the messages

or expectation or
impact that you expect

to bring through your music,
your art, or entire passion to

[INAUDIBLE]?

NICHOLAS TSE: Through music,
through movies, of course.

Mainly it's entertainment.

And music, I could say,
I hope it brings more--

I hope my music can also
stimulate or console you

in your everyday life.

But in terms of
a deeper message,

we're trying to do that
through the "Chef Nic" show.

Because as like what I was
saying about we don't share

correctly or how we are missing
the essence of eating together,

I really, really learned a
lot through the kitchen--

the time management
stuff, the sharing part.

It has changed my
personality immensely.

I was a really different person
before I started cooking.

And I think especially
in this day and age

we hope to promote a lot
more activities or wilderness

wildlife activities,
or stuff that you

could do apart from just looking
at the phone or the computer.

I think that's a very, very
important part of life.

AUDIENCE: I've got a question
more about your film career.

So I just wanted to
know moving forward--

so first of all, congratulations
on the Best Actor award.

Moving forward for your
future film projects,

are you going to be pursuing
more action-driven movies

like "Police Story"?

Or are you going to go for more
controversial or dramatic roles

that kind of further challenge
your acting abilities?

NICHOLAS TSE: I don't
really have a preference.

I think that I am--

sometimes you need a bit of
luck when you're given a script.

The cast has got to be right.

The story has to be right.

The whole crew has to be right.

The timing has to be right.

We always say that in
the movie industry.

Each movie has its
own journey, really.

All you could do is do your
best when it is handed to you.

But I do think there
is one that I'm

planning on in a few months.

It is action packed.

I do think Hong Kong has to find
its roots some way, somehow.

And to me, Hong Kong movie
is about Hong Kong action.

It has never really been
about Hong Kong drama.

So it's going to be tough.

But I think, yes,
I'm going to have

to dig down and fight again.

And maybe jump off
some buildings.

AUDIENCE: I think many of
us are big fans of yours--

NICHOLAS TSE: Thank you.

AUDIENCE: --here in
the room and on video.

And you started the talk
with your [INAUDIBLE]..

So I was just wondering
reflecting back

on your life path, what are
some of the key words that

define your character, who you
are today that made you to be

a successful life,
successful career,

and maybe just share some
words of wisdom with us.

Thank you.

NICHOLAS TSE: Key words
would be creativity.

Key words would be--

would be tenacity.

Key words would be
synergy, actually.

Resourcefulness.

But different key words come
at different times, really.

And to me, if I
was to be greedy,

I would say every
word is a key word.

Yeah.

JAMES TAO: Cool.

So before we wrap up, just one
question from somebody watching

from the States, actually.

NICHOLAS TSE: Wow.

What time is it over there?

JAMES TAO: It is late.

So basically, they said,
at our headquarters

we have a program
called Kitchen Sink.

And there are chefs
that come all the time

to teach how to cook.

And if you're ever in
the area, would that

be something you would
be interested in hosting?

NICHOLAS TSE: Cool.

Cool.

Hey, speaking of which,
I think tech-wise,

right now I'm having problems
with working on the VR goggle.

Like, when you're
teaching cooking,

the problem is the depth.

You can't lean into the pot
and see what's in there.

If you guys crack that
problem, please tell me.

Yeah?

JAMES TAO: Oh, we can--
we can work together

and see what we can do.

NICHOLAS TSE: Seriously,
because I'm still

the Asia-Pacific marketing
director for the digital domain

company in LA.

And we're still doing on the
post-production for "Avengers,"

for all those series.

So if you guys ever come up
with that kind of tech, tell me,

please.

JAMES TAO: Awesome.

So that brings us to the
end of our Talks at Google.

Thank you everybody for coming.

Thank you, Nick, for taking your
precious time to share with us.

NICHOLAS TSE: Thank you.