Kathy Fang, daughter of the founders of San Francisco's renowned House of Nanking, defied her parents' aspirations for her by choosing to work in the family restaurant, a decision that initially met with resistance due to their traditional views on education and career paths. For decades, House of Nanking, located in Chinatown, has drawn crowds with lines often extending around the block, but Kathy Fang's decision to join the kitchen staff represented a departure from her parents' vision of the American Dream for her.

Peter Fang, the restaurant's patriarch, and his wife did not intend for their daughter to inherit the business, Kathy Fang explained in a recent interview with Fortune. They viewed cooking as a necessity for survival rather than a desirable career for someone with an education. "For my parents being very traditional, they also didn’t want me to do it," she said. She further explained that in their view, cooking was seen as manual labor, a fallback option for those who did not succeed academically. "We have a saying that, you know, if you don’t cut it in school, you can always go be a cook because it’s considered manual labor. You don’t need to have a proper education to go work in a kitchen."

The elder Fangs, according to their daughter, were not aware of the "foodie culture" that has elevated the status of chefs and restaurants, nor did they fully grasp the extent of their own fame. Kathy Fang's decision highlights a generational difference in perspectives on career success and the value of culinary arts. Her embrace of the family business signals a potential shift in the future direction of House of Nanking, blending traditional techniques with modern culinary trends. As Kathy Fang releases her first [product/book/etc.], her story underscores the evolving landscape of the restaurant industry and the changing expectations of second-generation immigrants.