In Weiside Chinese Station of Woodside, NY resides (for the day) Li Han-Mai. An immigrant of about 10 years from China, Li Han-Mai works as a chef at the restaurant, and says that making food and serving people a piece of “his culture” has made his time in America worth the sacrifice and hardship.
Li moved to America in the early 2000s, and having worked as a higher-professional chef in China, moved to America with hopes of continuing his passion. While the noise made it hard to hear, it seems that he said his wife and him moved when they were young parents, and looked to start afresh, but life was never easy, and it still isn’t.
Upon being interviewed in the middle of his lunch rush-hour on a busy Monday, Li claims that this restaurant has been his only release from the daily stresses of life. “When I leave my home to come here”, he said, “I feel like I am free. I get to do what I like to do without the pressures, you know?”, as he put some fresh seasonings on steaming rice he was preparing.
“I feel like when I come to work, I am able to do what I enjoy and that has made coming to America much easier for me. I feel like if I was back in China, I would probably do the same [job] until now. But sharing my culture here with so many people is a very, very nice thing”, he replied when asked how he feels about his job.
Li is an assistant cook at this very tasty restaurant. Originally, I went to the Weiside Station because I was hungry myself, but Li caught my attention while yelling across the restaurant very loudly in Chinese, an incident that was shortly followed by a large outburst of laughter coming from the kitchen.
Li, with his slightly-above 5’5” stature and thin build, has more energy than most of us young ones do, and also, very obviously, has quite the zest for life. When he is not putting together dishes in the kitchen, he strolls out of the restaurant with a large smile for his cigarette break. In the pocket of his grease-stained off white apron holds a pack of Chinese cigarettes. One could infer that something about opening a box with Chinese writing to smoke a cigarette brings one closer to home than if he was to open one with English writing on it, but again, only a thought.
That being said, although Li is so joyful, he is reserved. He said that growing up with a strict father as a child made him to be strict with his kids too. But, he confesses, although his kids have grown up, he still expects the best of them. He says he wishes nothing but the best for them in school and beyond, and he appreciates all the opportunity America has given them.
Overall, my experience at Weiside was very delicious. As I enjoyed my vegetable lo mein and a broccoli with garlic, I was pleased to experience a few moments with Li. He reminded me of a relentless immigrant, and a happy one, who was able to find his happy place in New York City while still incorporating parts of his life from China into his current life.
