recipe for success: how restaurants paved the way for immigrant families in saskatchewan - mexican restaurant main dishes

Immigrant families spent countless hours folding wontons of wrapping paper and mixing hummus to build their prairie roots in restaurants. From a small-
A Chinese restaurant in the small town of Lannigan.
For authentic Mexicans in Saskatoon, each family has its own story about why they left their home country and what they left behind.
The link between immigrant families who find their way out in Canada through the food industry is how running restaurants unites them.
Yuanshi family restaurant: strange sofa from Hong Kong, ChinaIn 1996,15-year-
Andy Lao Yuan got off the plane from Hong Kong and took a painful breath.
Cold air in provinceIt was -
When his grandmother, grandfather and uncle greeted yuan and his parents at Saskatoon Airport.
Their family is on their way to skeywinade. —
Population: less than 2,000
Run a Chinese restaurant.
Mr. Yuan remembers his first night in Canada, before driving to winyad, his family stopped at a Chinese grocery store on Saskatoon 20 Street.
That shop was a small detail on a huge trip, but yuanen never forgot it because now he sees it every day.
The building where the grocery store used to sit was just across the road from the odd couple, the restaurant he now runs with his parents and his wife.
This is a chic and narrow restaurant with stalls and tables with Chinese accent and fashion accessories
Far from the small-
They landed at a Small Town restaurant in 1990.
Yuan's parents came to the province to help his uncle run his winyad restaurant so that Yuan's grandmother could finally retire.
They have worked together for a long time to cook food for Canadian tastes, which is quite different from the Chinese food they like.
Yuan's parents found themselves learning to navigate the restaurant's business, something they had never been involved in.
For a while, Yuan hated his new life in Canada.
In Hong Kong, he spent a happy school life and girlfriend in a bustling city.
Now he is helping to run a restaurant in a foreign rural town.
In the first month, he called long for about $1,000.
Distance to China
After two years in winyad, his parents bought a cafe in another town.
But after nine years of engineering, the desire to help his family brought yuan back to the restaurant business.
To increase his parents' retirement savings, Yuan helped his father transform an old man named Sask.
A flower shop in a restaurant.
But the commute time from Saskatoon to Warman is 12-
For Yuan's parents, an hour's day has become too much.
They sold the restaurant in 2013.
When the door closed, the other door opened a room familiar with the view of the Chinese grocery store.
Yuan said that when he and his friends were drinking at the bar, the idea of the strange couple appeared.
"What if people get tired of a pint of burgers and fries?
What if people only want ginger beef with gin and tonic? " he said.
The restaurant opened in 2014.
He ran in front of his wife. of-
His parents work in the kitchen.
"I don't think it was born as an engineer.
I grew up in a restaurant, so I like this: I like to feed people.
Mr. Yuan said that Chinese culture is not as common as before --to-
The restaurant is open for a day, but it comes out in a subtle way.
Yuan's wedding at the restaurant was organized in a few weeks, in line with what the lunar calendar considers a good day for the wedding.
This is also the reason why the number eight, which is considered lucky in Chinese culture, appears on corporate phone numbers and license plates.
For the Yuanshi family, doing things together is all they know.
However, family alone is not enough to leave Mr. yuan in Canada.
He said it was the kindness of those early in the small-
Saskatchewan town makes Canada feel like a home.
"Really, if I didn't go to a small town from the beginning --
I won't be here today.
I think I should go back to Hong Kong.
"Goldnez family restaurant: La Bamba cafe originally came from: Mexico City, Mexico Juan goldnez loved Canada when he came to the University of SA for a master's degree in economics around 2002
In Mexico City, where he once lived, goldnez's qualifications allowed him to score high marks. level job.
But he will live in fear.
"It's just one thing that drives me to Canada: Values, honesty, hard work.
You can be honest with yourself, which is really hard sometimes in Mexico.
"For example, the values in doing business are very difficult.
You can follow the rules, but you won't get a business license if you don't give money.
"Juan began to consider helping the family build their own business opportunities in the province of SA.
"My grandmother is a great cook, and my mom goes along this road," he said . ".
Juan says they call it "Sassoon" in Mexico: The magic of cooking.
Therefore, with the support of his family, he decided to open a Mexican restaurant.
Juan traveled to other Canadian cities to watch the Mexican food supply.
His aunt, a successful businesswoman, urged Juan not to leave ordinary Mexicans.
The Canadian food he found
But he can't open a restaurant himself that sells "Texas Mexico" food he will never eat: burritos and fajitas.
Decided that this restaurant only serves Central Mexican cuisine that is familiar with and loved by family.
His cartoon restaurant La BambaCafe opened in 2007.
It is now run primarily by Juan's brother Daniel, who has also earned a degree in business and economics at the University of the province.
Their mother Maria led the way in the kitchen.
Their other brother, Jesus. sister, Mary;
Her husband is now also working in Saskatoon's restaurant.
Juan hopes that Canada will work to enable skilled immigrants to work in their fields of expertise and to help them succeed more quickly.
Still, he said, without fear of kidnapping and other dangers, the freedom to walk down the street with his children is worth it --run.
"You don't have that big position and that big money in Canada, but your life is good.
"In July 1, 150 anniversary of Canada's founding, Juan said he hoped the country would be able to fight the fear of terrorism, maintain diversity and accept what he saw as the most powerful force in the country.
It is these values that Daniel believes make Canada a great country.
Daniel added: "We actually want to give this country a lot because we can live a better life here than our own country, "It doesn't mean we will never be Mexican again.
It's actually good to have both cultures and these two sets of values.
"Jomha family restaurant: Kitchen from Lebanon: Lala, LebanonHe came for six weeks and every month he thought the war would end.
It took more than ten years to conclude.
Over the next 40 years, Jomha settled in Canada, received a degree in business and reviewed the English he had learned at his school in Lebanon.
Jomha and his wife, Nariman, started a family business with his relatives from Edmonton.
The family did return to Lebanon for some time in late 1980, where their three children were born.
As the extended family of their seven children grew up, they also began to help in the family business.
When they returned to Canada, they moved to Saskatoon with a new company.
The family has never been in the restaurant business, but Nariman's family cooking is made by some of the most hungry critics-her children
"We thought, 'OK, let's give it a try. we made it.
"Nariman's recipe is now backlit on the menu on the Lebanese kitchen wall of Saskatoon and Saudi Prince Albert.
The third is planned to open on the Boychuk Avenue in Saskatoon.
The restaurant opened in 2010.
Siblings AJ, Rabih and Taha are now working with their mom in the restaurant.
AJ said working in a family business gave the brothers and sisters a strong relationship.
"We always grow up together, so no matter what kind of business our dad has always had, we always help out there," he said . ".
From clothing stores to shoe stores to restaurants, he said, "as a family, we always have a new adventure . ".
Najib said that while his children were Canadians, they inherited the features of the Lebanese tradition: they liked to take risks, but they did not give up and they adapted.
Najib believes that family values will become a bigger priority on the occasion of Canada's 150 anniversary.
An honest society that believes in its own country will put Canada on the right path for the future, he said.
"Even if I am around the world and someone talks about Canada, I defend Canada," he said . ".
"Canada provides security and provides a good opportunity for the person who wants to do it, but if the person does not act to make money, he will not come to him.