What was your inspiration to enter the food business?
My mother grew up in an aristocratic family in China and missed the food she grew up with in Beijing; so she opened a restaurant in San Francisco, California. I had gone to study design at the Art Center in LA. Sadly, a downturn had hit the economy so being a struggling designer, my mother asked me to keep an eye on her restaurant the Mandarin. I entered the food industry thinking I would go back to visual arts soon but I opened my own restaurant instead in 1984 in LA called The Mandarette and it was all thanks to my mother.
What was the turning point of your career which you believe attributed to all this success?
The Mandarette attracted an eclectic crowd who included Paul Flemin (PF in P.F. Chang's), a successful restaurateur who had opened his first steak house in Beverly Hills. He became a regular customer. In 1992, he asked me to help him open a Chinese restaurant in Arizona as a consultant and the rest is history. So when we reached consistency and flawless execution that's when the success happened.
Any specialties in the menu?
The recipes came from my family and visits that I've made to China and East Asia. Menu items like the Mongolian Beef are my modern adaptation of a traditional cuisine from the Mongolia region. We don't use MSG, and we cook with less starch and oil, so the dishes are clean and simple. So the must have dishes are Mongolian Beef, Chicken and Lettuce Wraps, Shrimp and Vegetarian Dumplings, Chang's Spicy Chicken and of course Singapore Street Noodles, one of my favorites.
What's next? Any new surprises or projects you are aiming for?
We currently have more than 260 restaurants around the world, and we are expanding rapidly within the international markets. We are certainly grateful for the success we've encountered in the region and excited and looking forward to many more years of serving the Middle East region. As for the menu, we will continue to offer new flavors and ingredients to keep up with the food and taste trends.
To whom would you like to dedicate all the success?
Of course my mama.
How do you believe "Sushi a la P.F.Chang's" menu will twist your performance?
I hope it will attract some new customers and add something new and exciting to our core menu.
How do you rate the Sushi sector in Lebanon? Do you believe competition is fierce?
I have not personally had a chance to check out the "sushi scene" in Lebanon, but I do know that it has become widely popular globally and that more restaurants are serving various versions of sushi. We hold ourselves to a pretty high standard and competition will always be there and we have over 2 decades of experience dealing with various competitors at all levels and remain true to our goals.
By : Stephany B.
