Cristina Wu Feng’s journey from Valencia, Venezuela to owning a restaurant in San Francisco is a testament to her multicultural upbringing and deep-rooted passion for food.
Growing up in a family that owned three Chinese restaurants, food was an integral part of her life.
She fondly recalls long drives to satisfy her craving for handmade noodles and beef chow fun, and later, as a teenager, making her first stop for hot empanadas right after learning to drive.
Now, at the age of 27, Wu Feng is the proud owner of Cantoo Latin Asian Rotisserie, located in the Tenderloin neighborhood.
For more than two years, her restaurant has featured a menu that artfully melds the flavors of her Venezuelan heritage with her Chinese roots.
Instead of working behind the scenes as she did a decade ago, Wu Feng now calls the shots in her restaurant.
“I was in denial for a really long time.
I thought that if I’m saying I’m the owner, I’m taking out credit from my family,” she reflects on her earlier hesitance.
However, she has come to realize that the final decisions — from hiring staff to curating the menu — are indeed hers to make.
Positioned almost equidistantly between Chinatown and the Mission, Cantoo holds special significance for Wu Feng.
During her time as a homesick student at San Francisco State University, these neighborhoods provided her with a sense of comfort and nostalgia.
In the Mission, she would seek out arepas, often settling for Salvadoran pupusas when those weren’t available.
Chinatown, on the other hand, reminded her of home.
The menu at Cantoo is a reflection of Wu Feng’s diverse background.
She serves rotisserie chicken prepared in the style of peking duck and infuses her fried rice with distinct smokiness.
Her empanadas, crafted from corn flour and butter, offer a cakey texture that distinguishes them from the typical fried variety.
Additionally, her Venezuelan limeade is served over ice, striking a balance of sweetness and refreshment.
All the sauces available at Cantoo — from herby garlic aioli to a balanced sweet and sour sauce, and even chili oil — are homemade, a practice that stems from her family’s traditions.
Growing up, her family made everything from scratch due to the scarcity and high cost of Chinese ingredients in Venezuela.
Wu Feng’s ability to connect with customers has also been essential to her business.
Fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, and English, she has built a loyal clientele who visit frequently.
Support from fellow merchants in the Tenderloin has been invaluable as she navigates challenges such as the city’s permitting process and interactions with vendors.
She has learned the importance of standing firm in a competitive and often overwhelming industry.
However, the stress of managing her own restaurant has taken a toll on her health, leading to the development of kidney stones.
As a young entrepreneur in a male-dominated field, Wu Feng has had to confront feelings of imposter syndrome.
But her culinary journey has been long in the making.
By the age of 15, she was already helping her immigrant parents with paperwork and permits.
When she temporarily moved to China, she organized potlucks to create a space for Venezuelan food, filling the void she felt for her cultural cuisine.
Wu Feng’s journey is not just about food; it represents resilience, cultural fusion, and the journey toward self-acceptance as an entrepreneur.
image source from：missionlocal
