Founder of Fong Kei Bakery, named after him. Its predecessor was a teahouse already operating on Rua do Cunha in Taipa by 1902 (Guangxu 28); when the tea trade declined the family closed the teahouse and focused on hand-made traditional pastries. The fourth generation, Kou Chi Kei, took over in 2018, and the shop has been Michelin-recommended.
A 1902 teahouse quietly became a bakery on Rua do Cunha — and the scent of hand-made cakes has carried on for a century.
Kou Fong is the founder of Fong Kei Bakery. Named after him, it began as a teahouse and has, for a hundred years, kept to hand-made old-method baking, becoming one of the most emblematic heritage shops on Taipa’s Rua do Cunha.
Profile
- Chinese Name: 高晃
- English Name: Kou Fong
- Birth year: c. 1875 (not firmly documented; estimated from the teahouse operating in 1902; approximate)
- Region: Macao · Rua do Cunha, Taipa
- Domains: Business · Everyday life
- Industry: Souvenir food · Hand-made confectionery
- Subject type: Historical figure · Founder
Principal Roles
- Founder of Fong Kei Bakery
Background
Early-20th-century Taipa was still a small fishing village, and Rua do Cunha was lined with teahouses and sundry neighbourhood trades. Kou Fong ran a teahouse there — a typical local small merchant of his day — before pivoting to baking as the market shifted.
Career
I. Starting as a teahouse (1902)
Fong Kei’s predecessor was a teahouse already operating on Rua do Cunha by 1902 (Guangxu 28); the shop is named after its founder, Kou Fong.
II. From tea to cakes
When the tea trade weakened, the family closed the teahouse and focused on the bakery, making traditional pastries by hand in the old method and keeping the founder’s recipes and ingredient standards.
III. Family continuity
Fong Kei remains a single shop with no branches; its interior has changed little over the years, preserving a nostalgic feel. In 2018 the fourth generation, Kou Chi Kei, took over.
Defining Moments
- The pivot from tea to cakes: Choosing to focus on baking as the tea trade declined set Fong Kei’s lasting direction.
- Michelin recommendation: Fong Kei was listed in the Michelin Guide from 2016 to 2020, a must-visit heritage shop on Rua do Cunha.