This Hongkonger defied her dad to become a snake handler, and the rest is hiss-tory
From catching venomous snakes to crafting unique soups and delicacies with king cobras, Chau Ka-ling can do it all
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Hong Kong’s ‘snake queen’ tempts brave food lovers with unique menu
Handling snakes for more than five decades, Chau Ka-ling uses her years of expertise to bring her signature soup and unique dishes to Hongkongers.
The second-generation owner of Shia Wong Hip eatery, well-known for soup that is crafted from five types of snakes and other delicacies featuring king cobra, recalled the first time she touched one of the reptiles back in 1971.
“I wasn’t even a teenager when I first dealt with snakes,” Chau said, stopping short of revealing her age, which she called a “woman’s secret”.
From handling and preparing dishes to becoming a “snake queen” who helped the government catch venomous serpents, Chau described it all as hard work with a rocky start.
“I begged my father to teach me how to be a snake handler like him because he could not hire anyone. He told me to become a seamstress instead,” Chau said, adding she turned to her mother for support after failing to convince him.
“[My mother] said I would only have brief enthusiasm and will not last long. I was like: ‘I will not let you look down on me. I will put my heart and soul into it and be the best.’
