Sibling duo reopens mom’s Burnaby restaurant so she can achieve her cooking dreams

May 15 2024, 6:25 pm

This story is going to warm your heart like a delicious bowl of phở, people!

A sibling duo in Burnaby Heights is excited to announce the relaunch of their mother’s restaurant, celebrating her dedication, passion, and love for delicious home-cooked meals.

Introducing Chao Mami, the relaunch of Burnaby’s Brokenrice Restaurant, owned and operated by the Nguyen family, a dream seven years in the making.

To mark the relaunch, Chao Mami at 4088 Hastings Street (or, “hello, mom” in Vietnamese) will be giving out free bowls of phở daily, to the first 20 customers, until May 25. This is not a drill.

Back in 2013, ready to pursue her dreams and share her love of cooking, Xi and her husband opened Brokenrice Vietnamese Restaurant. In this small family business, all four family members worked together to serve up delicious Vietnamese plates.

But though the dream of running a business where the entire family could work and learn together was met, Brokenrice and the Nguyen family faced many hardships — including high staff turnover. Because of this, Xi’s children, Jennifer and Steven, often stepped in and poured long hours into the restaurant.

“It was always my brother or myself jumping in to help our parents at the restaurant because it’s our familial duty. We hated to see our parents stress over [it],” Jennifer tells Daily Hive.

Despite running the restaurant six days a week, Xi was still incredibly passionate about cooking and would come home after a long day and cook for her family. She’s known for her scratch-made cooking, which is always met with overwhelming praise from everyone who tastes it.

However, Xi refused to put her children’s future at risk and with a heavy heart, decided to sell the restaurant. Unwilling to see their mother’s dream fail, Jennifer and Steven took action. They have since revitalized the family business, elevating the seven years of dedication at Brokenrice, with the new Chao Mami, with none other than Xi back at the helm!

“Our mom will now be able to focus on her passion and doing what she does best in the kitchen, and we finally have the opportunity to unleash her creativity and share her delicious homecooked meals with the community,” says Jennifer.

The relaunch will see some of Xi’s famous dishes like Bún Riêu (Crab Noodle Soup) and Thịt Kho Trứng (Slow-Braised Pork Belly and Egg), plus a daily happy hour (2 pm to 6 pm) that features the restaurant’s signature phở for just $10.

Guests can also try out some of Xi’s creations through a series of rotating specials like Hủ Tiếu (Rice noodles with a clean, flavorful pork soup) and Mì Quảng (Vietnamese Quang-style noodle soup) plus creative drinks and desserts such as Cà Phê Muối (Vietnamese Salt Coffee) and Chè Bưởi (Sweet Pomelo Soup).

Besides offering exceptional meals, the Nguyen family pride themselves on treating every guest like a member of their own family — and the group can’t wait to watch their family grow.

“Together, we envision a dining experience that not only celebrates tradition but also embraces innovation. We want everyone to enjoy Mom’s food as if they were family in our own home!” says Jennifer.

Get ready to feast at the grand opening of Chao Mami on May 18 and don’t forget — the first 20 customers will get a free bowl of phở until May 25!

Chao Mami Burnaby — Grand re-opening

When: Saturday, May 18, 2024
Hours: Everyday from 11 AM to 9 PM
Where: 4088 Hastings Street — Burnaby, BC
Special promo: Free phở until May 25 for the first 20 customers each day!

Daily Hive

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