To further champion restaurateurs, chefs, business owners, organizations and entrepreneurs in the Asian community, we’ll be dedicating our content this week to a series that seeks to amplify their voices in a meaningful way, while donating $1,000 to important charities that further the cause.

Our series begins with someone we admire greatly — Lee Man, a founding judge for the Chinese Restaurant Awards and contributor to Vancouver Magazine and Montecristo Magazine.

His passion for food and dining along with his encyclopedic knowledge of the restaurant scene has resulted in high profile interviews with the Los Angeles and New York Times among others.

We asked Lee to share some of his favourite Asian-owned businesses in the Greater Vancouver area:

@cadeauxbakery

@butter.mere

Sun Fresh Bakery

@houseofyeefinefoods

@baobei1

We’ll be making a $250 donation on Lee’s behalf to the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation (@chinatownfoundation) for their efforts to preserve the historical cultural heritage of Chinatown and provide affordable housing for seniors and low-income residents in the neighbourhood.

Stand tall. Stay strong. Show love. Support local.

We’re sharing these important Chinatown-based community initiatives in Vancouver to follow and learn:

@chinatownfoundation: A registered charity that honours its culture and community through: physical revitalization (preserving and rehabilitating historic buildings & improving and increasing the supply of quality housing in Chinatown, especially for seniors); commercial revitalization (supporting and attracting a healthy mix of traditional Chinese businesses and culturally appropriate shops); and cultural revitalization (providing and highlighting facilities that share Chinatown’s rich cultural heritage and historical significance).

@chinatown.today: A not-for-profit project and platform to share Chinatown’s stories, both past and future. It helps facilitate a discussion on what the space has been and what it will become.

@huafoundation: A youth empowerment non-profit working on racial equity and civic engagement issues alongside youth and community members from the East Asian diaspora such as: a grocery delivery program for elders in Chinatown and Strathcona, ‘Dried Good Series’ with local chefs to educate on traditional Chinese food preparation techniques and ‘Race x Democracy’ workshops to discuss ethnocultural community engagement and empowerment.

@yarrowsociety: A foundation that supports youth and low-income immigrant seniors in Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside. It builds community through intergenerational relationship building, and by helping seniors overcome language and cultural barriers to services that meet their basic needs.

Much more to follow. Stay tuned.

Stand tall. Stay strong. Show love. Support local.

Sharing a reflective and profound post from our good friend, collaborator and Breaking Bread team member Amy Ho a.k.a. @constellationinspiration:

“I can’t make rice cakes and Chinese dessert soups here without acknowledging all the anti-asian violence and racism that’s happening (not to say it didn’t exist before but it’s a lot more prevalent now). I can’t declare my love of learning about Chinese dishes my mom made for me growing up if I don’t declare #stopasianhate. Up until now I feel like I’ve been gaslighting myself into thinking that i was overreacting to the recent asian attacks and i feel terrible that i felt that way.

“Yes, make dumplings, learn how to fold all the pleats, but also take up any opportunity to educate yourself on anti-asian racism + the model minority myth, raise awareness on anti-Asian racism, speak up if you see racism happening on the street or online if it’s safe to do so, and support Asian-owned businesses and creators. Take care of yourself and those in your community.”

We pledge to continue providing a platform and a showcase for the incredible work being done by restaurateurs, chefs, business owners and entrepreneurs in the Asian community not only here in Vancouver but across this country.

Much more to follow.

Stand tall. Stay strong. Show love. Support local.