Though the "eastern front" may be a ripe market for ideas considered commonplace back home, Yorke admits that this was not what he had in mind when he found himself in the restaurant business.

"It was a series of random circumstances that led me here. I didn't consciously do that, I didn't do it like that. I just opened a restaurant and cooked the food I liked," he said.

Clockwise: Elyse Ribbons has found a niche in Beijing's drama scene, but says success in China is only possible through hard work; Tom Stader, founder of the Library Project, which donates libraries to poor rural schools, makes his charitable dream come true; Charlotte Macinnis (right) and her sister Mika Macinnis are both familiar faces to Chinese television viewers thanks to their fluent Chinese and pretty appearance.

While meeting success in China may come by chance for some, for American Elyse Ribbons, a host for China Radio International and a resident of China for almost a decade, the "China dream" is for young professionals seeking a unique early-career experience and willing to push themselves with hard work.

The 30-year-old first came to Beijing in 2001 following a trip with classmates from the University of North Carolina. Though at the time she aspired to work for the US State Department using her language skills in Arabic, China's charm won her over and, after finishing her Chinese-language degree in the US, she was determined to return.

"All of us, myself included, fell in love with Beijing and China," she said.

After returning to China in 2002 intending to study traditional Chinese medicine in order to use her skills in the West, Ribbons quickly realized that the medical field was not for her and began experimenting with the varying job opportunities Beijing had to offer, from English teaching to working as a translator for the American Center for Disease Control in Beijing.

Ribbons finally found her niche in the theater in 2006 after spending three weeks in Paris writing her own screenplay I Heart Beijing examining the social stereotypes of foreigners and Chinese in China.

Following the success of her play, Ribbons established herself in the capital's drama scene and has since put on six more productions.

She said while China may offer expats a quicker chance of success than in the West, the room for career growth, especially in the theater, is often limited.

"There's more opportunity in China to get your foot in the door, but once your foot's in getting the rest of your body through is difficult," Ribbons said.

"You've got to be stubborn and have perseverance, that's how you push yourself through the door."

She said while expats in China may be given unique chances, such as playing the role of a TV host simply based on the fact that they're foreign, the opportunities often have little room for advancement.

"You get the introductory opportunities, but to break through the glass ceiling takes a lot of work," she said.

By Todd Balazovic

Editor: Liu Fang