Nestled in the livable forest of Kingwood is Houston’s Queen of Food, Jenny Wang, owner of Hunan Garden Restaurant. Growing up, Wang worked in the restaurant with her father, uncle and aunt, answering phones and helping where needed. Today, she is busy managing the restaurant, working anywhere from three hours to 16 hours per day; depending on the demands of the restaurant.

Wang’s father became ill with lung cancer in 2004 and she moved in to help care for him. After he passed away, her aunt and uncle ran the restaurant for six years. When they decided it was time to retire they asked Wang if she wanted to take over the family restaurant business or they could sell it. Wang spent three months in the restaurant and loved it from the get-go. Previously, Wang had worked as a data management consultant for Big Five corporations traveling all over the United States. Wang received her business degree from the University of Texas.

“I reinvented myself after the corporate world and food emerged,” said Wang.

Not only is Wang the owner of Hunan Garden, she is also the founder of Houston Chowhounds and a freelance food writer, restaurant critic, food blogger, and co-host and producer of the radio talk show, Southbound Foods.

“Chowhounds is a food enthusiasts group with over 900 members,” said Wang. “Our group consists of food hobbyists, writers, bloggers, photographers, chefs, cooks and other food-service professionals. We take the art of eating and chowhounding seriously to find the very best food in the area.”

The Chowhounds also help raise awareness for nonprofit organizations, such as the Houston Food Bank.

Last fall, Wang decided the restaurant needed a facelift with a modern touch. Her father, an architect, had designed the original floor plan for the restaurant more than 27 years ago. She hired Rogelio Rendon, interior designer, to create an atmosphere of community and family. Rendon has designed the Les Givral’s Kahve Vietnamese Restaurant in Houston.

“We wanted to make a statement when customers come in,” said Wang. “We wanted families to feel welcomed and the muted colors give an essence of calm and elegance. Our goal is not be a high-end restaurant of Chinese cuisine. We want everyone in the community to dine with us.”

Wang believes the success of Hunan’s comes from the service they give their customers, and the consistency of the staff. The last server who retired recently had worked at Hunan’s for 17 years. The kitchen staff has been with the restaurant for 20 years. The restaurant has 30 employees.

“We take care of our employees and this in turn makes our customers happy,” said Wang. “We spend about 60 hours each week with our employees. We strive for consistency in producing a good dish every day.”

When asked what role her job entails as restaurant entrepreneur Wang said, “I do everything. If I need to do the dishes, I do them. If I need to bus a table, I’ll do it. I’ll deliver food. This is what makes the job so exciting. You never do the same thing every day.”

Wang is toying with the idea of opening another Hunan Garden Restaurant inside the loop.

Wang is most proud of the award they the restaurant received as the Best Takeout/Home Delivery 2011 Reader’s Choice Award.

Hunan Garden’s popular dishes are Mandarin Shrimp, General Tsao’s Chicken, Orange Beef, Crispy Sesame Chicken Wings, and the Hot and Sour soup. Wang’s favorite dish at Hunan’s is constantly changing.

“I love the Hot and Sour soup. I love the steamed veggie dumplings. Our dumplings are homemade and we are making them all the time,” said Wang.

The restaurant is open 364 days a year.

“We have families that have a tradition of coming to Hunan Garden for their Christmas or New Year celebration,” said Wang. “I love Kingwood. The people are nice. There is a real sense of community here. I have enjoyed seeing families come to our restaurant while watching their kids grow up through the years.”

Brunch is offered on Sunday’s from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. The restaurant is located at 4331 Kingwood Drive, in the H-E-B shopping center. Visit hunanrestaurant.com/kingwoodhunanrestaurant.com/kingwood or contact them at 281-360-360-2668.

Photo: Jenny Wang of Hunan Garden Restaurant prepares for the day at the computer. Photo by Meredith Mann

原文出處： http://www.ourtribune.com/article.php?id=15055