During the annual dinner of the National Asian American Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship (National ACE) on September 4th, three restaurants were awarded the top grant of $25,000 each. The proud owners of Nom Wah Nolita in New York, Pho Loan in Chicago, and Native Field in Walnut Creek, Bay Area, were thrilled to accept their checks. This funding is part of the continuing partnership between National ACE and Grubhub, now in its fourth year, which provides grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to Asian American-owned restaurants through the AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund. These grants are designed to support renovations, equipment upgrades, employee well-being initiatives, technology improvements, and marketing efforts.
From a pool of 5,000 applications this year, Nom Wah Nolita, Pho Loan, and Native Field emerged as the standout recipients for these prestigious grants. The dinner celebration served as a joyful occasion for the restaurant owners as they welcomed this significant financial support.
Zhiyu Lai, owner of Nom Wah Nolita, is a second-generation Chinese immigrant who was raised in New York. Seven years ago, he left his career in IT to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams alongside a friend. “I’ve always loved food, and dining at Chinese restaurants in Chinatown with my parents were some of my happiest memories growing up,” Zhiyu recalls. With many authentic restaurants closing their doors over the years, he and his friend decided to create their own. Despite facing challenges that come with restaurant management compared to a corporate job, Zhiyu finds immense satisfaction and fulfillment in his work. Inspired by his father, who ran a wholesale supply and seasoning business, Zhiyu said, “I watched him work hard every day, and if he could do it, so could I.”
Having successfully navigated over a decade in business and survived the COVID-19 pandemic, Nom Wah Nolita is now tackling new hurdles like rising costs and labor shortages. The AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund will be instrumental in helping them sustain and grow their business. Zhiyu plans to use the grant to pay off a renovation loan for their kitchen and enhance marketing efforts to promote their catering services, aiming to share more about Chinese culture and cuisine with the community.
Pho Loan, operated by a Vietnamese immigrant couple, has a compelling backstory. Owner Loan Nguyen faced poverty in Vietnam, starting her working life at the tender age of ten selling street food. Despite limited educational opportunities, she pursued the American dream, arriving in the U.S. in 1995. Through a translator, the couple shared that before launching their restaurant, they spent 20 years running a nail salon. Due to Loan’s allergy to chemical beauty products, they transitioned to serving authentic Vietnamese cuisine, a venture they have enjoyed for over a decade. Their previous renovation efforts were interrupted by the pandemic, but they are determined to use this grant for another refurbishment to enhance their customers’ dining experience.
Cathleen “Cat” Castaneda, owner of Native Fields, is a Filipino chef hailing from Southern California. After completing her culinary arts degree at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, she gained experience in prestigious restaurants before founding Native Fields in 2018. The restaurant focuses on serving organic food and honors her late father, Marcel Castaneda, who died due to complications from cancer.
Together, these restaurant owners embody resilience and dedication in the face of adversity, working tirelessly to preserve their culinary traditions while making valuable contributions to their communities.
About the author