Post #764284 by BambooLodge on Fri, May 27, 2016 7:32 AM

This is a very sad day for me and this not an easy post, but here goes...

As of 3:00 pm May 25th Betty and her husband Duane had to vacate the premises and no longer own and operate Chef Shangri-La. Here is what it reads at the top of the Chef Shangri-La FB page "The chef Shangrila business operation has been transferred to Susan fong." very tactless to say the least. This is all the ugly outcome of a long drawn out civil suit which has been in the court system for over 2 years, filed by her own mother and oldest sister. From what I know they had an agreement on paper, but not legally binding for some reason, I'm guessing because it was inner family they didn't involve lawyers or have anything notarized.

Anyone who has followed the history here on TC knows that the Chef has seen it's share of hard times especially in the mid 2000's when Paul Fong got sick and the Chef was being run solely by Susan who had a tough time keeping the restaurant going. She ran herself ragged being there every day 12 or more hours a day! Susan had a close call with her health back in late 2010. Susan's youngest daughter Betty came back home to Chicago from her life in LA specifically to help bail the restaurant out, in February of 2011 at their annual Chinese New Years celebration Susan announced she was turning the day to day operations over to the second generation, Betty and Duane and to please support them (more info here http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=39127&forum=4&vpost=578075&hilite=Chef Shangri-La Chinese New year)

Flash forward 5 years... Betty and Duane completely turned the place around sprucing things up with new décor, adding lots of fun entertainment including the huge hit that was Fong Fest. They've been on every foody show in Chicago over the past 3 years. Unfortunately none of this mattered to the courts because all the judge can do is go by the law. Because it was family made it even harder for him to make a decision but in the end he gave everything back to Susan. In other words the Chef has taken a giant step backward and it is just a matter of time now.

Most likely the Elvis and Hula performances will disappear along with the uke nights featuring Lani Aloha, and I know for a fact that there will be no more Evening in Shangri-La events or Fong Fest! :( These were events that Coalbe and I were proud to be a part of and I thank Betty and Duane for believing in us and for their clear vision of preserving the Chef's history!

The website has already been taken down and I believe the Chef FB page is soon to follow. If anyone wants to comment on FB pleas feel free to do so... https://www.facebook.com/Chef-Shangri-la-189270651119127/ please post comments under this top heading "The chef Shangrila business operation has been transferred to Susan fong."

Mark my words I am a firm believer in Karma and she can be a bitch, so it is only a matter of time before she catches up with you!

It has left a huge hole in our hearts, kinda like loosing friend or loved one... RIP Chef Shangri-La!

Sorry for the rant but this has really pissed me off! :x if I'am out of line here feel free to remove the post

BaMbOoLoDgE...where the South Pacific meets the Great White North!

[ Edited by: BambooLodge 2016-05-27 07:33 ]