THE TENG FAMILY Owners of Jeng Chi Restaurant in Richardson’s Chinatown

By Patti Otte

It’s tough to catch Mei “Mama” and Yuan “Papa” Teng when they aren’t working. At 89, Papa is supposed to be retired from the day-to-day operations of Jeng Chi, the restaurant he and Mama founded in Richardson’s Chinatown back in 1990. But “rest” doesn’t seem to be in either of their vocabularies.

“Stubborn. Dedicated. ‘All in’ and committed, passionate, purposeful. His purpose is to do his very best…a perfectionist.” This is how Mama Teng describes her husband of sixty years. Papa Teng, in turn, describes Mama as being direct, having an amazing sensibility/palate. According to Papa, Mama is incredibly focused on being sure that her children and her children’s children are taken care of, guiding them to success and caring for them when they fall. Everything she does is for the family, according to Papa.

The Tengs haven’t always been the successful restauranteurs they are today. The back story of Jeng Chi stretches across the Pacific Ocean to Taiwan, where Papa Teng’s family founded a candy factory, the first Jeng Chi. The business was aptly named because Jeng Chi, loosely translated, means ‘House of Joy’ with the word ‘House’ meaning a place of commerce. The candy factory was indeed a business where friends and family gathered to experience happiness and joy. At that time, Mama and Papa Teng’s families were the best of friends and the young couple married in the early 1960’s.

Sadly, the Tengs were driven out of Taiwan in the 1970’s because of Communist China’s attempts to invade Taiwan and the government’s awareness of the Teng family’s success. With the help of family friends, they fled to Brazil and created a life there for their young family. Mama and Papa and their four children lived in Brazil until 1985, at which time they moved to America and planted roots in Richardson. They were drawn to the city because Mama’s two sisters lived here and they liked Texas because it was “peaceful, quiet, and a great place to raise kids.”

The move from candy factory owner to restauranteur was a gradual one. To make extra money, Mama started making bao at home and selling it at the Chinese market. It was such a hit that the idea of a restaurant took shape. The original Jeng Chi Restaurant was located down the breezeway from their current spot. Mama and Papa were the only employees and the 1,000 square feet space included the kitchen, prep area and dining room. The Tengs worked anywhere from 18-20 hours a day to ensure the restaurant’s success. Francisco “Chico” Teng, the second generation and youngest son of Mama and Papa, remembers the intimacy of that tiny location and the slow pace. Patrons who came knew they would be served excellent food and were not in a rush. The couple’s handmade dumplings and authentic Taiwanese dishes became the talk of the town.

There was a magic in the “mom and pop” dining experience that is difficult to replicate on a large scale. Instead, Francisco and Janelle Teng, the husband-and-wife duo and secondgeneration owners of Jeng Chi, are determined to keep the traditional Taiwanese dishes customers have grown to love and recreating the “art” of Chinese food. They are also introducing new innovations into the restaurant and incorporating more efficient equipment and modern technology.

The Teng family has built roots in the community that have taken a generation to nurture. Francisco and Janelle see themselves as the caretakers of what Mama and Papa Teng created and are excited about the future. And their ties to Richardson are strengthening! Janelle is a member of Richardson’s Women in Leadership and has recently joined Leadership Richardson’s 39th class. She is excited to become more involved in her hometown.