After searching for an authentic taste from home, Li Chao opened his own Sichuan restaurant to create the community he longed for. Now Old Chengdu Cafe has become a home away from home for customers, but especially for the Chinese immigrants who work there.
After searching for an authentic taste from home, Li Chao opened his own Sichuan restaurant to create the community he longed for. Now Old Chengdu Cafe has become a home away from home for customers, but especially for the Chinese immigrants who work there. Spicy boiled fish - one of the most famous Sichuan dishes from China; its authenticity attracts many Chinese international students to eat at this restaurant.
Chef Wang is from Jiangsu, China. He originally worked at a restaurant in New York City, and came to Syracuse to work at this restaurant.
Li Chao, interviewing by a group of School of Informational Studies students about organization behaviors.
The recipe of the boiled fish, written by the chef. The recipe is simple and can be found on the Internet, but it needs experienced chefs to get the best taste out of it.
Liang is from Guangdong, China and came to America a year ago. He is preparing the raw fish before it is cooked.
The restaurant is located at East Fayette Street in Syracuse. For workers and many Chinese customers, it is considered as a home away from home.
The chefs and other workers eat lunch together before their business hours. They come from different regions of China. They came to Syracuse to work at this restaurant and live together on the second floor.
Chef Ma, originally from Henan, China, came to America 4 years ago. He worked at a restaurant in New York City before coming to Syracuse. He has 10 years experience of cooking.
The chefs work six days a week, from 10 am to 10 pm, to cook. Cooking gives these workers a sense of belonging, family, and pride.
Kitchenware is one of the most important aspects in the kitchen.
The owner, Li Chao, originally came to Syracuse for his MBA degree. He opened the restaurant while at school, and eventually devoted his time solely on the restaurant business.
The restaurant is not only a home for the Chinese customers, but also a home for the people who work there. Chefs working in a small restaurant like this in America generally earn a lot more than working in a big one in China, that's why many of them chose to come to America for a better life.
Ma and Li, two main chefs at the restaurant, looking at the orders from customers before cooking the food.
