Mandarin Restaurant is the oldest and largest Chinese buffet chain in Canada. Founded in 1979 by Chinese Canadian entrepreneurs James Chiu, George Chiu, Diana Chiu, and K.C. Chang, it has been firmly rooted in Ontario, Canada, for over 45 years.
The headquarters in Brampton, Ontario, has expanded four times since its opening. Starting with a modest 3,000 square feet, it has grown to nearly 10,000 square feet, serving a steady stream of customers daily.
Additionally, since 1986, the restaurant has rapidly expanded by opening 1 to 2 new locations yearly. As of now, Mandarin has grown into a restaurant chain with 30 locations and nearly 3,000 employees.
The quality and taste of the dishes are the foundation of any restaurant's success
When discussing the reasons behind Mandarin's enduring success, the restaurant's founder and president, James Chiu, explained that many of Mandarin's dishes have been "Canadianized" to suit local tastes better.
"For example, we don't use MSG or five-spice powder in our dishes, and in the beginning, we didn't use garlic or make tongue-numbing spicy dishes," James Chiu said.
On the other hand, Mandarin has never stopped innovating and refining its menu.
James Chiu shared that the restaurant has a special 100-customer tasting panel. The team lets tasting panel members try new dishes; the well-received dishes will be added to the buffet, while the disliked ones will be removed.
The tasting panel is composed based on the local population's demographics. "For example, if 5 percent of the local population is of Eastern descent, we'll have 5 members of Eastern descent in the tasting panel."
After more than 40 years, Mandarin has not only built its own brand but has also become an integral part of the local community, growing alongside it.
James Chiu shared a touching story: one day, a mother asked for a photo with him. During the conversation, she revealed that her grandfather brought her to Mandarin as a child. Now, as a grandmother, she brings her granddaughter to the restaurant.
Mandarin is also a cherished childhood memory for many Canadians.
General Manager Herbert Lam shared that one customer, who usually dined at Mandarin with his father, continued to visit even after his father passed away. Whenever he came, he would still request an extra chair and set of utensils, saying, "Because this place is filled with memories of my father."
Using cuisine as a bridge to promote Chinese culture
Although the restaurant serves Canadian Chinese cuisine, James Chiu emphasized that he has not forgotten his roots. In running the restaurant, he continues to use it as a platform to promote Chinese culture through various thoughtful details.
For instance, during the traditional Chinese festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Lunar New Year, Mandarin introduces special dishes to highlight Chinese traditional foods. "Dishes like roast suckling pig and preserved eggs— we know that foreigners may not necessarily eat them, but at least they spark conversation and raise awareness about these festivals."
In addition, all of Mandarin's 30 branches feature consistent Chinese-style décor. The design of the restaurant was personally handled by George Chiu, one of the four founders.
He revealed that the architectural style underwent several changes over time. Ultimately, they returned to the traditional Chinese brick-and-tile archway design because "foreign customers still prefer the traditional Chinese restaurant style."
Give back to Canada through charity: "It's also bringing honor to the Chinese."
With the restaurant business thriving, the founders also developed a sense of responsibility to give back to society. Since 1996, every five years, all Mandarin Restaurant locations have hosted free buffet events. "Anyone who was Canadian would eat for free."
James Chiu laughs as he recalls the first time they held the event when the cost surprised him.
On the event day, 30 restaurant locations needed to serve around 40,000 guests. With an estimated cost of 30 Canadian dollars per person, he thought, "If we kept doing this, we would really go bankrupt!"
However, the overwhelmingly positive response from the public encouraged them to continue. On the event day, long queues formed outside each restaurant, consisting not merely of customers who had never visited before but also many regular patrons of Mandarin.
What was even more touching was that many people who couldn't attend still sent thank-you letters, expressing their gratitude for Mandarin's efforts in promoting acts of kindness. James Chiu said, "I feel this effort brings honor to the Chinese community."
Over the years, Mandarin has actively participated in community service across Canada.
In 2007, the restaurant donated one million Canadian dollars to the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
Since 2013, Mandarin has formed a strategic partnership with the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. By 2019, it had hosted over 50 fundraising events across the province, raising more than one million Canadian dollars.
In the field of education, Mandarin's dedicated scholarship program has consistently supported students from nine famous universities in Ontario, including George Brown College, Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University), and the University of Guelph, helping them complete their higher education. Over the years, this initiative has gained widespread recognition within the local community.
Let quality speak for us
Running a Chinese restaurant in a foreign country naturally comes with many challenges.
During the startup phase, the four partners nearly sold all their assets to open the restaurant. However, as Mandarin's business grew and flourished, with long queues forming outside the restaurant during peak hours, new challenges emerged.
James Chiu recalls that some competitors, envious of Mandarin's success, spread false rumors to tarnish the restaurant's reputation, causing sales to drop by 50% for a time. "But we didn't give up. We let quality and service speak for the restaurant," he says, gradually winning back the trust and reputation.
Mandarin insists that all its branches adhere to the same strict quality standards as the flagship restaurant. Mandarin has established a specialized "Food Safety & Microbiology Laboratory" to ensure food quality in its headquarters building. Experts are hired to regularly test food samples from each branch for bacterial content, ensuring they meet food safety standards. James Chiu emphasizes that such measures are rare in the Canadian Chinese restaurant industry.
Furthermore, Mandarin has implemented a "Mystery Customer Program to maintain high service standards." Every year, the headquarters select several customers to dine at each branch, evaluating various aspects of the dining experience. Based on these evaluations, the best-performing branch and staff members are chosen and financially rewarded by the headquarters.
James Chiu underscores that the company's definition of "good" is based on service and food quality, not just revenue.
Looking to the future: Creating a restaurant everyone wants to visit
Today, Mandarin has 30 branches across Canada, with nearly 3,000 employees. Reflecting on their success, James Chiu highlights that the key to their achievement lies in finding like-minded individuals who are committed to collaborating.
He revealed that Mandarin now uses an internal recommendation system, where branches nominate potential candidates who are interested in becoming future business partners. Before expanding to new locations, these candidates are invited to the headquarters to learn about management practices and the company's operational philosophy.
"Absolute power leads to absolute corruption. What I aim to do is empower them, so they truly feel and realize they are the real bosses of their restaurants," says James Chiu. He hopes that employees will experience a sense of security, belonging, and self-respect while also having the opportunity to realize their potential at Mandarin.
Besides, as a family-owned business with a strong tradition, Mandarin has seen the next generation of its founders join the restaurant industry in recent years. The clash of ideas between the younger and older generations has sparked fresh and innovative insights.
James Chiu shared that, in terms of management, the older generation tends to emphasize relationships and emotional bonds more, while the younger generation takes a more objective approach. Additionally, when it comes to eating habits, the younger generation is increasingly concerned with health-related issues, which has led to the introduction of a series of new dishes, including vegetable salads and other vegetarian options.
Running a restaurant is undoubtedly challenging, and many young people today are often hesitant to enter the industry.
However, James Chiu remains confident in attracting talent that aligns with Mandarin's traditions and values. "Our vision is to create a place where everyone wants to dine, work, and invest."
(Reporters: Tracy, Frank; Filming & Editing: Fung, Peter; Executive Producer: Tracy; English Translation: Zheng Xiaoyi; English Editors: Felicia Li, Darius Zhao)
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