Lawrence Chu's Brief But Spectacular take on treating each day like a grand opening

Transcript

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Geoff Bennett: As the Chinese new year celebration continues this month, we bring you a brief put spectacular take from Lawrence Chu, the heart and soul behind Chef Chu’s, a beloved dining destination in the Bay Area for over five decades.

Amna Nawaz: Known for his culinary artistry and commitment to community, Chef Chu reflects on the power of food to bring people together. Here he is in his own words.

Lawrence Chu, Chef: So many people ask Chef Chu, when are you going to retire? Are you going to slow down?

Are you kidding me? Before I came to America, my father told me that America is the best country, reaching land, product and opportunity. It’s a country where a person can have a dream. With a lot of hard work, with a little bit of luck, your dream can come true. I truly believe that.

I come here in 1963, and I see, wow, this is America. I have been dreaming for years. Finally, I arrive. I’m living in San Francisco, Chinatown. The cable car goes up the hill. I can’t believe it.

Every morning, I can — I feel it’s like an earthquake when the cable car went through. I love San Francisco. I was so lucky. The third day I arrived in San Francisco, I able to find a job at Trader Vic’s.

They immediately gave me a busboy job. From the busboy job, I learned a lot. Chef Chu opened a restaurant in 1969 December, because I met my future wife. I wanted to impress her. I told her I have a dream. I want to open a Chinese food restaurant in America at big corner. And I want you to help me.

She said no, but if you only find one good location, have one restaurant, I will help you. That’s how we started the restaurant. And a few months later, I found a location in the 1067 North San Antonio Road, Los Altos.

The idea is serving the comfort food for a comfortable price. In a Chef Chu Chinese restaurant, our motto is treat each day like a grand opening day. The difference between Chinese cooking and American cooking, Italian cooking, Japanese cooking, we use, oftentimes use a wok.

The good thing is that sometimes, even if you made a mistakes, they come up with something so good, everybody talk about, oh, Chef Chu, what that dish it is?

My father definitely is a role model for me. He is the one to talk about family value. He emphasizes Sunday night have dinner together. Before you finish your dinner, already starting to talk about next Sunday, what we’re going to eat.

My wife is my inspirator, motivator. She knows what is real life. I have a dream, but she knows dream just a dream and that this is America. You have to make the money the old-fashioned way. You have to earn it.

Now today, I’m 81. I’m still enjoying what I’m doing. I was — never can imagine I can reach at this level in my life. The most I’m proud of is, is all my children who respect me. I have a sense of achievement, sense of accomplishment, above all, the sense of authority, authority in Chinese cooking.

So I’m not going anywhere. I will be here. I’m waiting for you to come in.

My name is Lawrence Chu. People call me Chef Chu. And this is my Brief But Spectacular take on treating each day like a grand opening day.

Geoff Bennett: We got to go to Chef Chu’s.

And you can watch more brief put spectacular videos online at PBS.org/NewsHour/Brief.