Markham steps up to plate to combat business slump due to coronavirus fears

2-week Asialicious campaign to help restaurants rebound from drop in business over outbreak misinformation

Yorkreigon.com
February 12, 2020
Heidi Riedner

A two-week campaign launched in Markham last week hopes to whet the spoiled appetite for Asian-themed cuisine due to fears over the Wuhan novel coronavirus.

Catherine Hou, president of Chinese Cuisine and Hospitality Association of Canada, and Dr. Ken Ng, chair of the Federation of Chinese Canadians in Markham (FCCM) launched Asialicious -- an Asian-themed take on Winterlicious -- at the Markham Civic Centre Feb. 4.

Running Feb. 14 to the 28, the campaign’s goal is to get customers back into restaurants suffering significant drops in business due to heightened concerns over the virus, said Hou.

“I feel your loss, I feel your pain,” Hou told a crowd of restaurant owners gathered for the news conference, many of who reported declines between 30 to 75 per cent of their normal business.

making such references as bat soup and orders with a side of coronavirus, to outright racist remarks online.

Asialicious organizers hope to combat misinformation and what many perceive as over-caution -- particularly within the Chinese community itself -- especially in light of the fact public health officials have stressed the risk of contracting the virus remains low.

Ng credited the success of Markham’s Taste of Asia street festival, launched during the SARS crisis of 2003, with boosting the local economy and bringing the community together.

“This is an opportunity for us to do something for the economy to help the business rebound again and, at the same time, to encourage other people to get together, to work together for betterment,” he said.

Asialicious launch

Hou also stressed the restaurant industry is taking the necessary and normal precautions when it comes to their establishments.

“It is an opportunity to come to our Asian cuisine restaurants, enjoy the signature dishes, the great food and amazing service we have to offer the public,” she said, adding about 50 restaurant owners had already joined the initiative.

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti, who has made a point of tweeting his patronage of various Chinese restaurants impacted during the past two weeks, challenged other GTA cities to support Asialicious and similar efforts.

“Let’s support our Chinese restaurants in our community,” he said. “Let’s show our restaurants some love.”

Scarpitti, Hou and Ng are putting their money where their mouth is, rounding up a restaurant crawl at Grandma’s House -- yet another example of a local eatery experiencing a downturn in business that owners attribute to people being scared and hiding in their homes over outbreak fears.

Scarpitti was also quick to pull up a chair at beleaguered Wuhan Noodle.

“In relation to Wuhan Noodle and any potential reduction in business, I would say Wuhan Noodle sits in a predominantly Chinese commercial centre and this is one of the reasons I wanted to ensure the Chinese community has the right information, because I want them to have the facts and not base their decisions on fear.”

As for the online vitriol, Scarpitti said while unfortunate and regrettable, the comments do not reflect the spirit of Markham and do not reflect the spirit of most Canadians.

“At the end of the day, though, people who do not take the time to learn and find out information in their ignorance may say all kinds of things.”

Scarpitti said every effort is being made to get accurate information out to the public, in as many languages and avenues as possible.

“We’re going to do everything we can,” he said.

Asialicious is part of that.

Asialicious launch

Each restaurant will offer a signature food with a special offer as part of the campaign. “One Dish, One Story” includes more than 100 Asian restaurants and daily tasting events.

For more information, visit asialiciousfest.com or visit the campaign's Facebook page.

You can also share your Asialicious photos on Instagram or Facebook with hashtag #asialiciousfest for a chance to win $100 gift card. The top 10 photos will be chosen based on creativity and photo quality.