AAPI Restaurants Week showcases Asian and Pacific cuisine, culture, and tradition
CHICAGO (CBS) -- On this Foodie Friday, we're celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and the second-ever Chicago AAPI Restaurants Week.
The event featured 10 days of highlighting nearly 60 AAPI-owned and operated eateries across the city. From pot stickers to spam musubi, during AAPI Month, it's all on the table.
"I think, like, this is a great time for us to showcase who we are," said Mabel Menard, president of OCA Greater Chicago, a non-profit AAPI advocacy group.
Menard is the mind behind Chicago AAPI Restaurants Week.
"Considering the fact that Chicago is such a foodie town, we thought there should have been one," she said.
It started with 33 restaurants last year.
"This year we decided to be a little bit more ambitious, see if we can get 50. So actually we have 58," doling out deals, discounts, and donations aligned to the event, according to Menard.
"Some are actually doing prix fixe, some are offering discounts, and some are also donating a portion of the proceeds to a charity of their choice," she said.
Carol Cheung, owner of Jade Court in Hyde Park, said she sees AAPI Restaurants Week in part about education, history, and breaking down barriers – even food stereotypes.
"To help to educate people more on the type of food that we're serving, and to show them that Chinese food isn't just about egg foo young and chop suey. There's a lot more to it," she said.
"I think it's important to highlight AAPI restaurants; businesses in general, really" said Isabel Lee, who owns Aloha Eats in Lincoln Park, and hopes this spotlight helps to highlight the lesser known, but equally delicious scene.
"A lot of minorities in a lot of ways are kind of flying under the radar," she said.
AAPI Restaurants Week also gives patrons the chance to play a part in uplifting AAPI small business owners across the city.
"It's important to showcase what a big part Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans are part of the culinary scene in a city like Chicago," Lee said.
They, too, are bouncing back from COVID, in their case not only to hit the bottom line.
"Especially because of COVID, and all the racial issues that came with that, unfortunately, highlighting AAPI restaurants is more of like a support; like, indirectly telling people that you support them" Lee said.
Needed support – welcomed, deserved, and delicious.
"Especially in AAPI cultures, food is the thing that brings everybody together. It's the thing that we love to share the most. So it kind of makes sense," Lee said.