A POPULAR city restaurateur has passed away aged just 48.

Talented chef Simon Sin realised his lifelong dream and opened Noodle 8 in Portswood with wife Karyn back in 2019.

The couple were married in December, just weeks before Simon died of pancreatic cancer.

Simon’s Chinese parents were running a takeaway in Gosport when he was born. He grew up in Warsash living and working from an early age in a takeaway owned by his aunt and uncle.

He later spent some time in Hong Kong before returning to the UK to bring up his beloved daughters Mya, who is now 14, and 11-year-old Taya.

In 2015, Simon set up a street food stall on Winchester Market where he met Karyn. The stall was a great success and, after a stint producing food for the delivery service Just Eat at their Southampton home, the couple brought the flavours of Hong Kong street food to the city with the launch of 30 cover funky eatery Noodle 8.

Karyn and the team have promised to continue Simon’s legacy.

She said: “Sy was a wonderful teacher and he’s taught us all so much. Our staff feel like they’ve lost a role model as well as a friend.

“He was a one off. He always had a joke and everyone loved him, he was so popular. He was likeable, memorable and kind.

“There was also a determination and a real calmness to him. We were good together and he was devoted to his girls.

“He was an inspiration during his illness. He didn’t cry, he didn’t moan, he was there for us more than anything.”