Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/689634
the famous Dragon Gates on Bush and Grant and you may miss the part of Chi- natown that speaks to the culture of peo- ple who live there. You might see gringo tourists wearing straw hats mugging for Instagram, but miss the scents and sights that truly indicate you are in the midst of a culture other than your own. However, if you wander away from the gilded chandeliers and duck down an alley or two, you'll find the baskets of dried fish, their distinct aroma marrying the wafts of sweet spices from the shop next door, and hear the hearty laughter drifting up from unmarked basement doors nestled beneath the sidewalk, each hearkening to the lifeline of China- town, its people. Chinatown was one of the first areas of San Francisco to rebuild after the great earthquake of 1906. It was reported that the governor at the time wanted to move the famous neighbor- hood to another area and as a protest, the Chinese residents rebuilt the fallen brick buildings faster than lawmakers could file any paperwork. Since those days, street names have changed and businesses have come and gone, but there is still one landmark that contains within its walls the history of over 100 years of food, entertainment and hospitality. Originally called Hang Far Low before becoming the iconic Four Seas, the restaurant at 731 Grant Street now has another name: Mister Jiu's. Chef Brandon Jew has taken on quite a feat with the opening of his own res- taurant; our conversation illuminated his ongoing quest to find balance, whether it be in his dishes, in the design or how to connect with the community that he hopes to reinvigorate with the restau- rant's opening. The experience has been one of massive growth for this chef, for whom learning in this process has still not ceased. He described "roller coaster emotions" throughout the process, and said that at times, he "didn't even know how to keep going or why" when de- scribing what it took to completely gut a 100-year-old building and to rebuild it with his own vision. Some detractors told him he was taking on too much. Yet when he felt most down, Jew says, "Out of the blue, hope would sustain me and refocus me on the project." Hope is exactly what inspired the chef to take on this massive project, the hope that he might be able to give back to the local community and inspire locals and visitors alike to rethink what they consider Chinese food. He aims to find a sweet spot between American Chinese and traditional Cantonese cuisine. Taking "inspiration from the neighborhood," he wants to "think about the ingredients in the pantry and focus on making people feel better with those ingredients." This is a heavy nod to the culture of Chi- nese medicine, where healing is sought through food, and ingredients are the cornerstones of staying healthy. Drawing on his experiences living in China, he learned that "meat is a luxury product, and I want to reflect that in my menus. I don't want to buy the bones of other animals I haven't used just to fortify a stock. Restraints are good for learning—they push creativity and fo- cus. It creates a centering on what is im- portant and teaches cooks not to order excess. Meat is so valuable and I want to be conscious of what the total cost of it is when incorporating it into dishes." He also hopes to use the parts of animals guests normally might not see on the plate: "People should know how their food looked while it was alive and appreciate that beauty. Celebrate the life of the bird, and the sacrifice it made." He aims to create new conversations with diners about food while using very traditional ingredients, and ponders "Chicken feet, how can I make them into a more palatable dish, make it less intimidating, honor traditional flavors without scaring anyone away." With Mister Jiu's, Brandon is hoping to nurture his diners. "I want people to leave feeling lighter, even cleansed, after eating my food. I hope they feel differ- ently than when they arrived—that's the power of good food." While also not forgetting himself or his staff, he aims to take it slow, not overextend himself and take time for himself to continue to grow as a chef and businessman. He built closure times for the restaurant into the business plan to allow himself and his employees to take time to travel and be- come re-inspired, something he knows is crucial to the balance and wellbeing of the restaurant. The chef becomes quite sentimental as we discuss the ending of the ride of the past year. "I'm feeling nostalgic reflecting on the last ten months, the ex- citement of clearing everything out, the feeling of possibility." As he gazes out at the beehive of activity, surrounded by potential plates and table settings, he demonstrates custom-made tables that have a lazy Susan recessed into the center. The topic we have continued to return to throughout our conversation is that of finding balance, and creating of a space where balance is reflected, nurtured and passed on to all who enter through the doors. PASS THROUGH Since those days, street names have changed and businesses have come and gone, but there is still one Chinatown landmark to be found that contains within its walls the history of over 100 years of food, enter- tainment and hospitality. Originally called Hang Far Low, before becoming the iconic Four Seas, the restaurant at 731 Grant Street now has another name: Mister Jiu's. s p r i n g / s u m m e r 2 0 1 6 | 3 9 ■cr A view of Chinatown in San Francisco.