Situated on Wuding Road in Shanghai's Jing'an district, Smokin'Hog is a small smoked barbecue restaurant that has been operating for over a year, telling an entrepreneurial story about courage, perseverance, and insightfulness.

[Video provided by Jing'an Media Center]

Ignacio Guillermo Virgen, 47, originally from Mexico, met his wife Karina in Bali. Five years ago, the couple moved to Shanghai to start the business they had always dreamed of.

Virgen began his culinary journey at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Paris at the age of 16, later training under the renowned chef Alain Ducasse, holder of 21 Michelin stars.

One of the highlights of his career was serving as the private chef to former Argentine President Nestor Carlos Kirchner. For three years, he prepared meals for heads of states from around the world at the presidential residence.

Before coming to Shanghai, Virgen worked at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, one of the world's largest horse racing clubs, managing 250 chefs across nearly 80 Western restaurants, serving high-profile clients, including Prince William.

Although such experience brought him much fame in the culinary world, that high-pressure role gradually dimmed his passion for cooking. At the end of 2018, Virgen moved to Shanghai to work for a meat company, with Karina joining him in early 2020.

Just as they were settling into their new life, tragedy struck, and their life was upended: Virgen was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma after noticing swollen lymph nodes in his neck. During chemotherapy, he temporarily lost two essential skills for a chef: his sense of taste and the grip in his hands.

However, he thought that it was also the fear of loss that rekindled his passion for cooking. After his recovery, a friend gifted him a small smoking oven, and he threw himself into mastering the art of smoked barbecue — something he had never tried before. After many failed attempts, he finally perfected the art of smoked brisket.

Karina recalled that, at first, Virgen just cooked for friends. He often woke up at 3 am to start smoking meat, sometimes prepping and marinating it the day before, and by the time their friends gathered, he was already exhausted.

Later, the couple realized that if his food was so popular among friends, it could appeal to a broader market.

They rented a kitchen space and launched Smokin'Hog as a delivery-only operation in July 2022. They began joining local markets and events, including those organized by Jing'an district. As orders poured in, the restaurant gained more recognition.

Reflecting on his original intention to run a restaurant, Virgen said that the customers they met at local markets expressed a desire to eat their food on a regular basis, so they established the delivery kitchen. As demand grew, they eventually searched for a physical location.

They soon found this location, which used to be a bar where they had previously held pop-up events, and partnered with the right collaborators. Over a year later, the restaurant continues to thrive.

What surprised the couple most was how local Chinese customers embraced smoked barbecue more than they expected. Virgen noted that many things they had never imagined had come true, especially regarding the customer base. Initially, they had very few Chinese customers. Over the past six to eight months, most of their customers are now local patrons.

They discovered that many of these new customers found them through social media, which they hadn't even actively promoted. Word-of-mouth praise and online buzz had created a ripple effect.

Karina believes that being located in Jing'an has played a pivotal role in their business success. She said that the area is a popular dining destination with high foot traffic. Plenty of excellent restaurants nearby attract large crowds, and the district also hosts lots of events, such as the Belgian Beer Festival at PAC Mall, which helped boost their visibility. They said they hope to see more events and receive more support from the neighborhood.

Virgen admitted that the success of Smokin'Hog, becoming a well-known restaurant in Shanghai within only one year, has surpassed their expectations. He described this journey as "full of surprises".

Source: Official WeChat account of Shanghai Jing'an Media Center at "jaxwzx"