Vaughan kosher Chinese restaurant's sales drop 75% due to coronavirus ‘fear’

Golden Chopsticks owner tells people ‘there is nothing to be scared of’

Yorkregion.com
March 6, 2020
Dina Al-Shibeeb

In comparison to the same period last year, sales are down 75 per cent for Thornhill's Golden Chopsticks, one of the few Chinese kosher restaurants in the GTA.

With Jewish customers being its largest demographic, Golden Chopsticks’ owner Mali Gafny believes the reason for the drop-in sales is “fear” and not “racism.”

“There are days where there are no phone calls, nobody is coming, and we just sit and do nothing,” Gafny -- who started the restaurant with her husband about 23 years ago, after emigrating from Israel -- told York Region Media.

But she wants people to know “there is nothing to be scared of.”

“Our cooks are Chinese, but they are Chinese-Canadians -- they have no contact with people from other countries,” she explained.

“If we think this is something to be scared of, we will close the door -- of course, we are scared about ourselves, too,” she said.

“We’re very clean, we keep clean over here all the time. Yeah, pass the inspection of the house department.”

In 2002 and 2003, when the world was gripped by alarming headlines about severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Gafny said her restaurant was unscathed.

The SARS outbreak claimed the lives of about 774 people, mostly in Asia. The novel coronavirus death toll passed 3,000 worldwide on March 2, exacerbating fears.

After this reporter had finished her interview with Gafny and was enjoying some General Tao chicken, the owner came to the table and described an astounding phone conversation she’d just had. Someone had called and asked if the food was clean and free of the “Chinese flu.”

Thankfully, other clients have no such worries.

CUSTOMERS SHOWING SUPPORT

The restaurant, however, wasn’t free of any customers.

York Region Media talked to clients Jack Botwinik and his wife, Belinda Cheung, who said they're heard that the restaurant was having some trouble and they came to show support.

“We actually heard that this restaurant is having difficulty,” said Botwinik. His wife Cheung added, “That’s why we are here.”

The couple has recently returned to Vaughan from Ottawa, where they lived for 20 years. They had known about Golden Chopsticks from their previous time in Vaughan and when they knew it was “in danger” they came to help.

“We haven't been here for many years,” he said. “It is probably the most authentic kosher Chinese restaurant that we know of.”

That's important to the couple because they're both Jewish. Botwinik notes, in reference to his wife, there are “not too many Chinese Jews are around.”

It turns out that Botwinik is also the author of a book called “Chicken Soup with Chopsticks: A Jew's Struggle for Truth in an Interfaith Relationship.”

“I think people are fearful because they don't know where the cooks have been, or the people they were with,” said Cheung, who has no worries. “Well, if we don't think it (food) isn’t clean, we won't be here.”

With the outbreak of coronavirus, some Asian business owners in the GTA have reported decreases in sales.

In late February, Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua and Ward 4 Coun. Sandra Yeung Racco joined Catherine Hou, president of the Chinese Cuisine & Hospitality Association of Canada, and enjoyed some scrumptious food at Thornhill's Kuu Sushi to show further support for local Asian businesses.

“Local business owners and entrepreneurs are our neighbours, our friends and our family,” said Bevilacqua. “In good times and in challenging times, we must continue to advocate for their success to ensure Vaughan’s economy remains strong and prosperous."