Looking Back on How Cecilia Chiang Became San Francisco’s Matriarch of Chinese Cuisine

The beloved SF restauranteur has died at 100 years old

Photo: Py Dustin Shum/South China Morning Post via Getty Images The ’ 50s and early ’ 60s were years filled with humdrum East asian food here in the States ; most Americans synonymized “ authentic ” Chinese cuisine with oil-slicked chow mein and bland chop suey. much like the microwavable television receiver dinners of those eras, chinese cuisine was more of a means to an end quite than an exploration of polished flavors and preparations. But Cecilia Chiang — who came to the United States from China in 1949, fleeing the Japanese during World War II to then travel about 700 miles on infantry toward safety — changed the very notions of what we now think passes as basic taiwanese food.

Chiang passed away peacefully at the historic period of 100 on Wednesday, leaving the Bay Area community — and those who work in the food industry everywhere — reflecting on her contributions. With her celebrated Mandarin restaurant in San Francisco ( that opened in 1962 ), Chiang enticed diners with the dishes she grew up with at a time when doing thus was a risk. Starting the restaurant was done on a notion : In 1960, she met two friends from Tokyo in Chinatown who told her they were planning to open a restaurant in a little space at 2209 Polk Street, and she agreed to help them secure a place .

While the streets were filling up with Americanized chinese restaurants to appease locals, Chiang went with her catgut : that people would enjoy her authentic Northern Chinese dishes .

Without giving it prior intend, she wrote a deposit check for $ 10,000 to secure their rend. The friends backed out, and the landlord refused to return the money, then Chiang made the decision to open the restaurant on her own. While the streets were filling up with Americanized chinese restaurants to appease locals, Chiang went with her catgut : that people would enjoy her authentic Northern Chinese dishes. So that ’ s what she did, creating more than 200 menu items and outfitting the restaurant with higher-end furnishings.

Facing sexism as a female business owner and low-interest in her food at inaugural, she struggled for some time. finally, though, firm outstanding customers ( including the founder of Trader Vic ’ s, Vic Bergeron ) spread the password to others. Soon, success came .Photo: SF History Center In following her dream of providing real chinese food, Chiang paved the way for other like-menued eateries to gain traction in the Bay Area and elsewhere in the nation. As the New York Times notes : evening the Mandarin ’ s early menu numbered some 300 dishes — which, by the chinese takeout norms of the ’ 60s, was considered “ belittled and focus. ”

even well into her nineties, Chiang dined out regularly at the most sizzling restaurants in San Francisco with a sealed vivaciousness and high level of exuberance .

The Mandarin grew without hiccup over the years. By 1968, Chiang had relocated the restaurant to a 300-seat space in the Ghirardelli Square complex ; a second location of the commercial enterprise, the Mandarin in Beverly Hills, opened to great praise in 1975. The ’ 80s saw the more casual, toned-down Mandarette Chinese Cafe take roots in Southern California, and it was subsequently helmed by her son, Philip .Photo: SF History Center After the Mandarin ’ s cafe model proved successful and profitable, Chiang ’ s son would late join forces with chap restaurateur Paul Fleming in 1993 to start a guess now omnipresent around the area : P.F. Chang ’ south. ( Heard of it ? )

Though the Mandarin finally closed in 2006, Chiang continued to be greatly involved with the residential district. For decades, she mentored energetic taiwanese restaurateurs who wanted to bring their personalize touches to the expressive style of cooking she helped introduce to millions. The San Francisco Chronicle notes that even well into her nineties, Chiang dined out regularly at the most sizzling restaurants in San Francisco with a certain vivaciousness and high level of enthusiasm. Chiang frequented food festivals, parties, and film premieres. She drank at bars well into the make hours of the good morning. She was unfailingly gracious, firm creative, and uncommonly kind up until her final days. In an Eater SF profile circa 2018, B. Patisserie laminitis Belinda Leong spoke with Chiang on her groundbreaking career and audacious life. During that discussion, Chiang offered an evergreen choice morsel of steering as to how to live a “ farseeing, fruitful animation ” : “ I try to learn chinese moderation. I very believe that : never gorge, or never overdrink. Never overdo it. ”