Hong Kong actor Tai Yiu-ming recently made headlines after he was spotted working at an eatery, owned by gastronomy industry scion Billy Cheung.
In an interview with HK01, Tai clarified that he isn’t switching careers, adding that it’s merely a temporary gig when he isn’t filming.
His current job includes serving tea, waiting tables, washing the dishes and taking out the trash.
“Given the unstable nature of acting and the free time I have before my next project, Billy suggested I try working in the food and beverage sector.
“I don’t have many jobs recently, and as actors, we sometimes go without a job for an entire year ... If we don’t have work, we want to pick up a new skill to survive,” the 52-year-old said.
Tai, who's been working at the eatery for two weeks, shared that he wakes up at 5am for his shift, with work often stretching into the wee hours of the night.
“The job is physically demanding. You have to take orders, clean the tables and tend to the customers. There’s a lot more you have to do as a waiter than an actor,” he said.
The TVB star continued: “One time, a customer left the toilet without flushing and I had to do it for him.”
Tai went on to admit that serving customers can get awkward as he’s still adjusting.
“People will ask if I’m filming. It was hard to overcome that. Having to serve plates of char siew rice is such a weird feeling. I’m still not used to it,” he added.
In terms of earnings, Tai makes roughly HK$300 (RM171) to HK$400 (RM228) a day.
The actor also mentioned that he takes the train to work, although he occasionally gives in to the temptation of taking a cab.
