I arrived in the U.K. on 18th November, 1998.
I started working in Chinatown (in London).
I worked there for nine years.
(My wife and son) came in 2003.
There were Chinese students living in the place we rented.
When we had free time,
we cooked chicken stew and hand-pulled noodles for them.
They said the food was so tasty
it would be a shame if we didn’t open a restaurant.
I’m Bai Yanting, the boss of Silk Road.
I’m Li Jihua, the lady boss of Silk Road.
We have been married for 41 years.
People from Xinjiang are bold and forthright.
We drink tea in a big bowl and eat with a big plate.
That’s why we have “Big Plate Chicken.”
It’s numbingly spicy, fragrant, and a little bit sweet.
We add meat, soup, potatoes, and noodles.
It’s the best combination.
The chicken stew originated in Shawan county.
It was created around the 1970s.
The first places to serve them were street stalls.
Many drivers and tourists tried it
and thought it tasted great. Word spread,
and more people visited Shawan to try the dish.
Red braised chicken is the main part of the chicken stew.
When the wok is hot,
we caramelize sugar with oil.
After the sugar melts, we add the chicken.
The color of its skin will turn golden yellow.
Then I add in some water.
Then, we add salt, dried chili,
and Sichuan peppercorn.
We use a family recipe created by my mom.
There are at least eight to 10 secret ingredients.
Then we put in potatoes and cook them
till they’re soft and they absorb the flavor.
Add a bit of sugar,
scallion, and garlic. Then it’s done.
We cook the noodles separately
and put them into the stew. Then it’s ready.
After my first year in London,
I thought this city was quite nice.
I hoped my son could come too. I didn’t think too much.
All I wanted was for my son to have better opportunities in life.
In the mornings, I would deliver rice noodles
for over 50 restaurants in Chinatown.
Then I would go to my other job at a Thai restaurant.
I was hired as a dimsum cart lady
at a restaurant in Chinatown.
The restaurant was owned by Cantonese people.
I didn’t understand Cantonese.
They weren’t very nice to me.
Eventually,
we decided we had to open our own restaurant.
When my son graduated in 2008, we started this business.
My husband and I are in charge of the kitchen.
My son is in charge of the other parts of the business.
I don’t want him to become a chef.
It’s a waste of his talent.
I have been working in the kitchen since I was 40.
Now I’m in my 60s. All this time I didn’t do much else.
They sacrificed a lot for me.
They basically work all year round.
I’m very grateful.
My biggest wish is that they can retire sooner
and live a comfortable and relaxed life.
Do you miss Xinjiang?
A lot. It’s my hometown. Of course I miss it.
I haven’t embarrassed my people in London,
so I guess we’re doing all right.