Family matriarch brings Chinese culinary talent to Weng’s Kitchen
Farmington restaurant a manifestation of woman’s culinary, occupational dreams
by Kara Hildreth
Thisweek Newspapers
A typical day for Juan Weng begins at sunrise when you can find her harvesting Chinese vegetables in her Lakeville garden.
Weng, the head cook of the new Weng’s Kitchen Chinese restaurant at 115 Elm Street in Farmington, is also the matriarch of her family. Her son, Tony Weng, is a co-owner who manages the family business, alongside her daughter Joanna who helps her out in the kitchen.
Tony gladly acts as a translator for his mother, who speaks some English.
“I really like cooking with the food, and now I am just really happy to see people eat my food and say it is good – that is really warming in my heart,” Juan said.
Each day, Juan arrives at the restaurant by 7 a.m. to prep the fresh vegetables, appetizers and meat dishes. She prepares a sit-down family meal that she and her children enjoy after the lunch and dinner rush.
The Weng family has been working together for 17 years to help the extended family-run the popular Peking Garden restaurant in St. Paul.
Juan, 50, immigrated to the United States from Canton, China, more than 20 years ago. She sought a better life for herself and her children in the land of opportunity.
Now Weng’s Kitchen is her own personal American Dream come true.
“When I receive compliments on my food, I am happy and proud,” she said.
Neighbors sharing good comments by word of mouth have kept the Chinese restaurant business booming in the first few weeks since it opened.
“On the first few days, we ran out of everything, and so in order to keep everything fresh, we had to go to the Restaurant Depot, get fresh meat and come back early to prep,” Tony said.
Making 400 to 500 cream cheese wontons each day, Juan sometimes will work until 2 a.m. to be ready for the next day.
Hard work, long hours and sacrifice are not new to Juan.
Tony said his mother has not used a vacation day for years.
One of Juan’s favorite culinary creations is called Weng’s Triple Crown, a stir-fry entrée with beef, chicken and shrimp, alongside onions and bell peppers in a brown, savory sauce.
Each day, Tony said, his mother makes sure the family sits down to a dinner in the restaurant when the lunch rush is over, and again after dinner guests have left the restaurant.
When she is not cooking, Juan can be found at home planting and harvesting 30 different varieties of Chinese vegetables such Bok Choy, Chinese broccoli and huge 50-pound white Chinese fruits called “winter melons” that she will use in soups.
“Our family in New York grows many different Chinese vegetables and mails us the seeds,” she said. Working in her small vegetable garden is when Juan seeks quiet time and relaxation.
“Every day when I see the vegetables grow, it just makes me happier and happier,” she said.
As a new business owner with high hopes, Juan said she’d like to thank the Farmington community for its early and continued support of her family restaurant.
Weng’s Kitchen caters business luncheons and the restaurant can accommodate up to 120 people for parties and celebrations.
The restaurant welcomes custom take-out entrée orders and delivers large orders; the take-out number is (651) 463-8880.
Kara Hildreth is at farmington.thisweek@ecm-inc.com.
