10. COOKS

At the completion of the CPR when so many Chinese workers found themselves cut adrift without a livelihood, the other fallback occupation besides laundryman was café owner/operator. Like laundry work, running a restaurant was generally acceptable to the broader society and required more easily attainable skills and knowledge as well as less start-up investment.

In “Chop Suey Nation,” a two-part feature article for the Globe and Mail (May 19, 2017), Ann Hui drove “across the country to uncover immigrant history – and vibrant present – of small-town Chinese-Canadian food.” On her journey, she visits 17 Chinese restaurants from Vancouver Island to Fogo Island, Newfoundland and invites us to “Meet the restaurateurs.”

Underlying the promise of a livelihood in these restaurant stories are personal experiences of hardships (long hours, low monetary return, absence from family members, cultural isolation) and cultural change (relationships with patrons, adapting to food preferences as well as availability of ingredients).

Many of these themes seem applicable to the Niagara Falls experience even though in the early 1900s, Niagara Falls had few Chinese-operated restaurants but did have cooks.

In the 1901 census for Niagara Falls, enumerated Chinese were all laundrymen. The 1908-1909 city directories listed TOY PONG Restaurant at 46 Bridge Street. However, no Toy Pong recurs in the following years.

The 1911 census included three Chinese men who were cooks at hotels: HARRY WONG (b.1880, imm.1904), CHARLIE KEE (b.1882, imm.1908), and HARRY CHON (b.1880, imm.1900).

Wong and Kee worked on Bridge Street (no building numbers given for any Bridge Street addresses on this census page) but it is probable they were employed at the Savoy Hotel (corner of Bridge St. & Clifton Ave.) as the names of the Savoy Hotel owners, Kronkite and Schumacher, preceded them on the census page. The hotel that Chon cooked for is unknown.

In the 1921 census, the Savoy Hotel continued on with two Chinese cooks: CHARLES CHONG (b.1885, imm.1908) and SAM CHONG (b.1881, imm.1910).

Savoy Hotel, 1935
Courtesy of Niagara Falls (Ontario) Public Library Digital Collections

The Savoy Hotel was established in 1899 in an existing building that was renovated and enlarged. By 1926, the hotel was not doing well and sat empty for years before being demolished.

At the same time, more Chinese had entered the employ of non-Chinese businesses in Niagara Falls. The Trennick Hotel (Erie Ave. & Bridge St.) employed WEE FAR (b.1899, imm.1916) as a cook and GEE MURGH (b.1876, imm.1906) as a porter.

In 1940, CHARLIE WONG and TOMMY WONG were chefs in the Trennick Hotel while JOHN BONG was the chef at the Hodge Restaurant located in the hotel.

Trennick Hotel Advertisement, n.d.
Courtesy of Niagara Falls (Ontario) Public Library Digital Collections

In 1910, the Trennick Hotel opened on the former site of the Columbia Hotel. The Trennick was later re-named the Metropole, Mohawk Hotel, Lord Nelson Hotel, and finally Hotel Europa.

MING HAI (b.1871, imm.1895), SAM FRANK (b.1869, imm.1911), GOON FOON LEW (b.1879, imm.1919), F MARYFORD OH (b.1893, imm.1903), and OIER CHARLIE (b.1888, imm.1906) cooked at the Refectory Restaurant.

Refectory Restaurant, 1927
Courtesy of Niagara Falls (Ontario) Public Library Digital Collections

The Refectory Restaurant had opened in 1904 on the old site of the Victoria Park Restaurant and continues to operate as the Queen Victoria Place Restaurant.

The Lafayette Hotel, 601 River Road employed four Chinese cooks: YAU LLOYD CHIN (b.1888, imm.1908), YOW HOO (b.1886, imm.1909), LEIN SEU FONG (b.1887, imm.1917), and LENG CHIN (b.1891, imm.1914). In addition, WILLIE LEE (b.1897, imm.1913) worked as a waiter.

Hotel LaFayette Advertisement (about 1921 as Williams listed in 1921 directory)
Courtesy of Niagara Falls (Ontario) Public Library Digital Collections

The Lafayette Hotel was situated beside the Clifton Hotel. Four and half stories high with a rooftop garden and an observation area, it was considered impressive. The Lafayette Hotel was demolished in 1933 and along with property of the Clifton Hotel that had burned down the previous year donated to the Niagara Parks Commission. Oakes Garden Theatre then occupied the location of these hotels.

The 1921 census also listed CHARLIE WONG (b.1903, imm.1911) and JOHN CHU (b.1900, imm.1910) as “staff” at the Railway (Grand Trunk) YMCA located at 175 River Road (near Whirlpool Bridge). At the time Railway Ys, built along railway lines, provided recreation and accommodations for workers.

Given that Wong and Chu did not know English, it seems probable they worked in a service role like cooking and cleaning.

Railroad Dept. YMCA Building
Courtesy of Niagara Falls (Ontario) Public Library Digital Collections

Built in 1898 and demolished in 1936, this was the YMCA’s first building in Niagara Falls.

Moreover, at least 17 people roomed at 205 Bridge Street in 1921. Roomers included both Chinese and non-Chinese. LEE LINS (b.1887, imm.1910) was among them. According to the census his occupation was “cook.” He may have been a cook for the rooming house or possibly worked elsewhere. LEE YING (transcribed incorrectly as Lee Duon b.1892, imm.1910) was listed as the building owner, head and storekeeper. Chinese roomers included: MACE CHEE (b.1881, imm.1905), LEE NA WOOCE (b.1876, imm.1916), HUI WONG (b.1885, imm.1917), LEO CHAS DAY (b.1886, imm.1912), JOE CHAS (b.1881, imm.1913), LEE MAVE (b.1875, imm.1913), LEE SHEE (b.1880, imm.1909), SON WONG (b.1875, imm.1905), HUI WONG (b.1885, imm.1917), and LEO YING (b.1889, imm.1912). They were all reported as being labourers but what they worked at was unspecified.

In the 1923 directory, though, 205 Bridge Street was identified as Chinese Headquarters for the Chinese Nationalist League.

Were these men rooming at 205 Bridge St.
Chinese Nationalists and working on behalf of the party?