Despite co-founding a brand that has now expanded to more than 240 branches internationally, Philip Chiang admits he did not even imagine having five branches when he opened up his first restaurant in 1993.
“We didn’t think it would be five restaurants; it just snowballed. We went with the demand.
“A lot of people from outside the United States that tried our food, loved it and said: ‘We would love to have you in Dubai, or in Mexico City.’ Still, until four or five years ago, it didn’t happen, but then the opportunity came to us and we pursued it,” Chiang said.
Chiang, who co-founded the American chain, P.F. Chang’s, was in Abu Dhabi to mark the opening of their first branch in the capital at the World Trade Centre Mall last week.
In an exclusive interview with tabloid!, he spoke about their signature dishes, expansion plans, and how they keep their meals healthy.
If you have never dined at P.F. Chang’s, take it from the co-founder himself, and try the Chicken and Lettuce Wrap; an international best-seller. The dish is made up of marinated chicken mince cooked with mushrooms and onions, and served with lettuce.
“This is the number one dish globally. It’s one of our most popular dishes since we opened 20 years ago. It epitomizes the kind of food that we do; it’s simple, it’s clean, it’s tasteful, it has all the elements of a refined dish without being fussy,” he said.
The dish is also a personal favourite of Chiang’s.
He summed up the menu saying: “We basically have a lot of classic and traditional [Chinese] dishes along with some new pan-Asian influences.”
Speaking of the UAE menu in particular, he noted that it includes lamb dishes, which are not served in the US. Otherwise, it is essentially the same, except that halal products are used. There are no pork dishes and the menu is alcohol-free.
P.F. Chang’s also serves vegetarian dishes, and is currently working on introducing gluten-free dishes to the region.
As for how the team ensures the menu remains healthy, Chiang said: “We use fresh ingredients, we [prepare the food] daily, and we don’t overcook our vegetables or our meat. The vitamins are still in the vegetables because we don’t boil them to death.”
In fact, the average cooking time for most dishes is under one minute, and food is cooked using traditional Chinese stoves and woks.
With the booming success of P.F. Chang’s, there are expansion plans for the region that include having three branches in Abu Dhabi, one more branch in Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach Residence, and further branches in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Asked about his opinion on the culinary scene in the UAE, Chiang described it as, “diversified.”
“[Diversity] is a sign of good food culture. So locals will now be able to dine from several different ethnic cultures, which is great. People seem to be really hungry for new things from around the globe here,” he said.
Originally an artist, Chiang worked temporarily at his mother’s upscale Chinese restaurant, but then wanted to open his own eatery that serves simpler dishes.
He co-founded the chain with his business partner, Paul Fleming, but now focuses his work on promoting international openings and sales of frozen products in the US.
