Springfield Business Journal_2020-08-03

Trailblazer David Leong changed the trajectory of Asian cuisine in Springfield. In the 1960s, there weren’t many Asian- owned restaurants in the Queen City, said Wing Yee, and it was an uphill battle for his father. Leong’s Tea House was damaged in the ’60s after someone threw 10 sticks of dy- namite into the shell of the restaurant, ac- cording to SBJ archives. During an SBJ 12 People You Need to Know live interview in 2013, David Leong said some people didn’t like that he had opened a restaurant in the largely white community, which later grew to love his cashew chicken. “At that time, you didn’t dare open an Asian restaurant. It wasn’t until the ’90s that you saw Vietnamese or Korean res- taurants,” said Wing Yee. “A lot of them had worked for my dad at one time, and to help them survive, he helped them create the cashew chicken and put it on their menu.” James Clary, local restaurant consultant and a former restaurateur, said his family knew the Leongs when he was growing up. He’s seen David Leong’s impact on Spring- field firsthand. “David started to grow his business in the ’60s, and then you saw all of these other Chi- nese restaurants open up, and the majority were started by people who worked for Da- vid,” said Clary. “An entire culture of Chi- nese food in Springfield grew out of one man and one dish.” Now, some 300 area restaurants feature the cashew chicken dish, according to past SBJ reporting, plus an international reach. Wing Wah recalled a trip to Beijing, China, with his father several years ago where they saw a sign outside of a restaurant advertising the Springfield-style dish. “I asked him if he wanted to try it, and he said, ‘No, I already know what cashew chicken tastes like,’” Wing Wah said, with a laugh. Iconic recipe The East-meets-West dish is among the ranks of Bass Pro Shops and Brad Pitt in putting Springfield on the map, said Kay Logsdon, former editor of The Food Channel. “When The New York Times did an article on Springfield-style cashew chicken in 2009, people in the industry started paying attention,” said Logsdon. “Da- vid Leong gave us something that has made Springfield distinctive. “There are very few recipes that have that kind of claim – to come from one person and have that documented in one city. That’s a little bit unusual.” Logsdon said she’s seen many versions of the dish from other famous chefs and res- taurants that have added different styles to Leong’s basic recipe. Traditional cashew chicken is stir fried and served with a light brown sauce. Clary said the Springfield style has had longevity that most new creations don’t see. “It’s simplistic, but sometimes those are the best dishes,” he said. “I’ve come up with a lot of dishes that I think are really good, but they just don’t take off like cashew chicken did.” Wing Wah said his father’s recipe even inspired a multibil- lion-dollar fast food restaurant in the 1970s – McDonald’s. “They came to our restaurant because they were trying to mimic the sauce, and that’s how they came up with their chicken nuggets,” he said. Today, Leong’s Asian Diner does over $800,000 a year in cashew chicken sales. That’s half the total annual revenue at the 35-employee restaurant, said Wing Yee. Leong’s signature cashew chicken, sweet and sour, and General Tso sauces also are available at local grocery stores, which Wing Wah said represents minimal revenue each year. Wing Yee said he plans to continue the Leong legacy at the southwest Springfield diner. “I want to try to make more of a trib- ute to my dad and my mom,” he said. “I’d love to see this place carry on the tradition. “The restaurant gave him something to live for, and I think that’s what gave him the longevity. We tried to get him to 100, and he was just one month shy.” Web Editor Geoff Pickle contributed. Leong: Half of diner ’s revenue comes from cashew chicken Continued from page 1 .NET /LEONG provided by LEONG FAMILY 20 · SBJ.NET AUG. 3-9, 2020 FROM THE COVER Launa Boatman & Financial Services, Inc. PECK’S Insurance Specialists in Employee Benefits and Individual Life, Health, Long Term Care and Medicare Supplement Insurance 3861 S. Jefferson Springfield, Mo. 65807 Phone: 417-883-1331 www.LesliePeck.com Leslie A. Peck, ChFC, CLU Launa Boatman Visit SpringfieldsBest.com for all current members. Contact Executive Director Regan O’Rourke at 417.868.0290 Research less, relax more. Let one of our experienced travel professionals plan your hard- earned vacation. From the Panama Canal to an Antarctic Cruise, we can help you make your travel dreams come true here at Southwest Travel. Southwesttravel.biz | 417-988-4399 | dena@southwesttravel.biz Southwest Travel LLC Wing Yee Leong : The restaurant gave his father something to live for. David Leong created Springfield-style cashew chicken after opening Leong’s Tea House in 1963.