OVIEDO, Fla. – Yao’s Modern Kitchen is all about family.
The restaurant is run by three siblings, George, Edward and Diane Yiu, along with their friends and past Florida Foodie guests Chris Chen and Phil Nguyen.
The siblings grew up in Central Florida and wanted to combine their traditional family recipes with the flavors of the Sunshine State.
“All of our family recipes — like our dumplings, our fried rice — and then also an integration of, like Central Florida’s big Spanish influence. So this, these dishes are in a marriage of both of them,” said George Yiu, who also serves as chef for the restaurant.
Yao’s had been operating as a pop-up for a few years, but it recently opened a brick-and-mortar shop in Oviedo, 15 Alafaya Woods Blvd.
“Like any business, there are its own obstacles; however, Oviedo has been so welcoming,” Edward Yiu said. “We’ve been received with open arms, and they can feel the authenticity that we bring.”
The siblings said they saw Oviedo as an opportunity for their business.
“Oviedo is a thriving community, one that we felt lacked a lot of staple, family-owned restaurants. There are a lot of corporate restaurants out there, but with that, you know, becomes kind of the monotony of it. So we’re bringing something more refreshing that’s awesome,” Edward Yiu said.
While George Yiu runs the kitchen, Edward Yiu serves as general manager and Diane Yiu is “everywhere, all at the same time,” according to the brothers. The trio have also pulled their significant others in to help with the restaurant. Even their mom helps out in the kitchen, making dumplings and folding wontons.
“This really is a family operation. You know, it’s a lot of work, but we love what we do,” George Yiu said.
The siblings grew up around restaurants, with their grandparents running businesses in New York and their mother opening kitchens after her move to Central Florida. Of course, they also have a lot of help from their college friends, Chen and Nguyen.
“We were just hanging out Christian, Phil and I... we were mentioning on a concept (my siblings and I) were thinking of,” Edward Yiu said. “Couple years flew by, and then it really got serious. They became more interested that we really wanted to hone in and chase our dreams.”
The siblings said Chen and Nguyen’s experience with Viet-Nomz has been invaluable to them.
“It was pivotal, for sure. I think without them, we couldn’t be this far in, I would say,” George Yiu said.
The restaurant is currently in its soft opening. The grand opening is set for Sept. 10.
On the latest episode of Florida Foodie, George and Edward Yiu share more of their family’s history in the restaurant industry. They also share some of their favorite dishes with Candace Campos.