How one man’s love for Chinese let his local restaurant thrive
Every Brit has their favourite takeaway – Indian, kebab, fish and chips – but one soars above the rest in terms of popularity, and an east London man has become the face of it.
‘Big’ John Fisher has gained a massive following for his passion for Chinese food online, boasting more than half a million followers online and a base of loyal fans, dubbed ‘bosh soldiers’.
John, 51, was born in Whitechapel but has lived most of his life in Romford, east London. He’s been with his wife Charlotte since they were teenagers and the couple share four children.
The patriarch of the Fishers has become an internet sensation thanks to his passion for family, boxing, and most importantly – his local Chinese.
Metro sat down with John and his wife Charlotte at their favourite Chinese restaurant, The Blue Orchid, in Romford.
As John walked in, it was clear he was a regular patron. A three-year-old little boy sitting with his family for dinner looked up at John and his eyes widened. He formed a fist and yelled, ‘Big John bosh!’, much to the amusement of his family and the Blue Orchid employees and his mum, Frankie Sheppard.
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We were seated at a table in the front of the restaurant as he shook the hands of employees Michael, Daniel and Ray, the family behind the Blue Orchid, which has been in Romford since 1963.
Having previously worked as a cheesemonger for caterers in London, John became famous online after his son Henry posted videos of him ordering his family’s Chinese takeaway at the Blue Orchid.
Over a starter course of prawn crackers, spicy pork, seaweed and chicken satay, John tells Metro: ‘I never meant to be on social media, but some of the videos Henry posted of me had millions of views, and I had my Instagram, which grew suddenly.’
John’s son Johnny, a boxer dubbed the ‘Romford Bull’, was ‘a lot’ bigger than his father on social media – but Big John’s platform took off, and he’s never looked back.
‘None of this was chased, none of it was forced. It’s just been a bit of a surprise. I was in Aberdeen recently and I was sitting there thinking, “People have paid me to come up here and meet people.” It’s surreal,’ he says.
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Most of his videos feature John ordering or eating Chinese food, signed off with his signature catch phrase and seal of approval – ‘Bosh.’
Even the employees of the Blue Orchid are featured in the videos, with ‘bosh-worthy’ nicknames. ‘Dangerous Daniel’, ‘Ruthless Richard’ and ‘Stingray’ have personalities just as big as John.
Richard Man, director of the Blue Orchid, told Metro: ‘‘We’re quite well known in the area. I’ve seen three generations of John’s family.
‘But since John got big on social media, our business has increased maybe 30-40%. He’s put us on social media quite a bit on his podcast and all things like that, and it’s just just been really, really busy.’
The restaurant has had patrons from as far as New Zealand – just to see Big John, who has become the face of the east London eatery.
Michael told Metro one man flew for a three day trip from Adelaide, Australia, in hopes of eating at the restaurant and meeting John – but they were fully booked, so he flew back months later and managed to meet John and share a ‘succulent’ Chinese meal.
Even with fans around the world, John’s fame hasn’t come without its downsides – he has a lot of ‘haters’, but they don’t bother him, he says.
‘A a lot of people try to attack your family. It would hurt me if I was a lesser man,’ he tells Metro as our main courses arrive.
Between bites of crispy duck, sweet and sour chicken, rice and vegetables, he adds: ‘I’m an old fashioned man, I get on with it. As long as you’ve got your family and as long as you’ve got your help, then you’re the richest person in the world.
‘I do get messages from people that are struggling and they say I’ll give them a little bit of hope.
‘I don’t mean to do it, but it’s just the way I come across, and if I can at least help one person come out of a bit of a depression, then what I do on social media is worth it. A lot of good has come out of it.’
‘I’ve had the joy of eating in many top Chinese restaurants. Nothing compares to this. I’ve been coming here since I was eleven years old with my family, and now I come with my own. It’s wonderful,’ he smiles.
As Metro sat with Big John, multiple ‘Happy Birthday’ renditions were sung to customers celebrating on a Wednesday night.
Many of them stopped to chat to John on the way out, asking about his family and his upcoming trips abroad.
Reflecting on his fame as we ate fritters and ice cream, John said: ‘I think it’s because I’m a normal person. I’m not trying to be anything.
‘I could be the bloke you meet on holiday and make friends with, or the bloke next door.’
Bosh.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].
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