Meet the M’sian actor who turned his gyoza side-hustle into a unique pop-up business

Do you ever get an intense craving for piping hot gyozas? I do. As someone who has lived abroad on a tight student budget, frozen gyozas were sometimes the quickest and cheapest way I could fill my tummy. When nostalgia hits, I sometimes crave that simplicity and comfort, which led me to discover Gyoza For Life.

Meet Choong Yu Bin, Adrian, a 30-year-old Malaysian actor who swapped his scripts for a skillet. What began as a temporary side-hustle during the pandemic, has now evolved into a full-blown entrepreneurship.

The kitchen became his stage

In 2021, Adrian returned from Canada, where he had spent 13 years. He balanced studying, acting gigs, and part-time work in the service industry. His job at a ramen restaurant nurtured his culinary interest. During downtime, he would slip into the kitchen, intrigued by the creative processes.

He observed how new flavours and dishes were developed and enjoyed watching the professionals fold gyozas. “Japanese food was the go-to cuisine for weekend family meals so working there was comforting,” he revealed.

At the peak of his acting career, just as Hollywood was within arm’s reach, the pandemic hit and Adrian found himself missing home more than ever. With his parents getting older and acting opportunities being put on hold, he wanted to be with family to make up for lost time.

His cousin, a seasoned chef with 15+ years of experience, was struggling due to a pay cut and began selling frozen gyozas part-time. Knowing that Adrian had time on his hands, he asked for help.

Adrian initially only handled sales and deliveries, but even then, he found a lot of joy in interacting with customers. With no formal experience in F&B, it felt like an MBA to him. Asking questions and learning about business operations, conversing with other small businesses, building a foodie community—it was all very interesting to him.

Three months later, when his cousin switched jobs, needing to commit full-time, Adrian found himself eager to take over and seized the opportunity to experiment with unique flavours. Initially selling standard flavours like pork with chives, Adrian knew he wanted the business to stand out in the market. “I wanted to think outside the box and create flavours that would challenge the norm,” he said, passion shining in his features.

Gyoza For Life reintroduced

With a goal in mind, Adrian hired Malcolm Mu, who made up for what he lacked with proper culinary training and experience. Malcolm helped significantly with R&D. Japanese Curry and Bak Kut Teh were the first two wacky gyoza flavours they came up with. Adrian’s sister and mother also lent a hand with production.

The pair were nervous about selling their new curations, but relaxed a tad when they received a favourable response from customers. They now have flavours like Szechuan Mala and Sawadee Kra Pao, the latter Adrian’s favourite creation yet.

When I asked Adrian about the creative process for new flavours, he breezily painted a clear picture. Starting with a comprehensive list of all the things they love to eat, and what interests them as foodies, they narrow it down to what is gyoza-workable. Then, they start experimenting to bring their ideas to life.

In March this year, Adrian and his team started doing pop-ups and collaborations, using them as a vessel to introduce new flavours and get genuine feedback.

Upon receiving suggestions, they go back to the drawing board and the recipes are tweaked to perfection. For instance, feedback from a pop-up led to improvements in the soupiness of their Chi Kut Teh gyoza.

All things pop-ups & collaborations

As Gyoza For Life thrived, Adrian received invitations to collaborate with cafes and restaurants, further broadening the brand’s reach and impact. With no brick-and-mortar store, pop-ups were the perfect opportunity to maximise their ongoing R&D, as a single event attracts 250-350 people.

Adrian and his team now affably meet with potential collaborators to discuss styles and themes, figuring out the best way to create a cohesive pop-up where the menu, aesthetics, and activities align with the customer base and both parties involved. Each event introduces new gyoza flavours according to the theme, contributing to a growing portfolio of tried and true recipes, expanding their frozen menu along the way. Before any pop-up, a casual tasting session is held with friends and family from both sides, just to lock down the menu and make certain that it truly aligns with the event.

To ensure a successful collaboration, Adrian and his team lookout for kindness and compatibility. “You need to be able to form a bond with the other party and the vibes are important,” he admitted. Successful collaborations thus far include: Pohutukawa Coffee and Many Aprons, Brella Bakehouse, and Shikomi Coffee.

How a performing entrepreneur, performs

How did your background influence your approach to entrepreneurship? I asked Adrian, curious.

“Yes, and?” was his confident response.

In theatre, this is a concept which allows actors to remain as open and receptive as possible. This is something Adrian has adopted throughout his journey as an entrepreneur, opening him up to plenty more opportunities. Instead of always saying ‘yes, but…’ he tries his best not to limit himself or his brand, eager to explore what the world has in store for him.

Acting has also strongly influenced how he carries himself within the F&B industry. Adrian’s theatre experience has taught him how to be present and how to read a room. He is able to listen to understand, yet knows how to make his presence felt. “I find myself being able to articulate my thoughts and make myself heard,” he shared, with a charming smile. Like most actors, Adrian enjoys making a good entrance.

He last worked on a Singaporean film, but is currently focusing on his business. His acting skills come out to play in the skits that he writes for Gyoza For Life’s social media advertisements—in which he acts and directs as well. “Doing this satisfies my creative juices for now,” he said. For his most recent collaboration with Shikomi Coffee, Adrian wrote a k-drama inspired skit titled, ‘She Called Me’, which I personally think is genius.

While his acting career is not at the forefront of his mind at the moment, that passion has not dissipated. He has learnt many transferable skills that he can adopt in both industries. “The beauty in acting is that there is no age limit. You can be 60 and still be cast in a role,” Adrian pointed out. He knows that there will be more opportunities to act and will revisit his Hollywood dream at some point.

“I’m simply setting aside those dreams for another bigger dream,” Adrian concluded.

Struggles and future goals

Running this business has been no easy feat, particularly during the lockdown when manpower was scarce. The long hours were taxing on Adrian, but he found satisfaction in his work. He also embraced the marketing side of the puzzle as a fun, creative learning curve. He now enjoys leveraging his theatre background, injecting his love for dramatic storytelling into his marketing efforts.

As the business grows, space is an ongoing issue, necessitating the rental of additional storage and production areas. Looking ahead, Adrian envisions a dedicated Gyoza For Life space, where production, retail, and dining-in, are all a possibility. He is also looking into going pork-free, to cater to a bigger market.

With the aim of doing more supplying, catering, and pop-ups in the near future, he and his team are in the midst of creating menus where gyozas are the main dish and not just a side.

MFT’s Review

I tried four Gyoza For Life flavours and here’s what I honestly think:

Chicken & Chives: This was a classic and easy to enjoy. The flavour combinations made me feel like I was eating a xiaolongbao. Simple and comforting.

Sawadee Kra Pao: As a pad kra pao aficionado this had a strong basil flavour which I appreciated, but I wish it was more spicy and packs more punch.

Lamb Mala: I love lamb and this was one of my favourites. Juicy, strong on the mala peppercorn, and numbingly spicy. It would taste so good with a bowl of ramen in my opinion.

Chicken Japanese Curry: Another favourite, this had a sweeter profile compared to your average Japanese Curry. They make the seasoning from scratch and I really enjoyed it. You can taste an array of spices and veggies, offering rather comforting flavours.

Each one was so much more juicy and tastier than I was expecting. Some gyozas risk being bland, but these were seasoned generously. I would have enjoyed them more with a sauce, which is how they are typically served at pop-ups. Regardless, these took me right back to my days as a student, and hit the spot.

I’m on team gyoza for life

As a gyoza stan, I can’t help but be fully on board with what Gyoza For Life is striving to do; creative flavours and meaningful collaborations. Conversing with Adrian, it quickly became clear to me how deeply he values his interactions with customers and collaborators. His commitment to kindness and treating people right shines through in his approach to business.

“Spread kindness with the thing that you do,” he emphasised, as our interview came to an end. I’m genuinely excited to see his business continue to thrive and I look forward to attending one of his pop-up events in the future.

“Any regrets coming home?” I asked finally. “No regrets,” was all he had to say.