- PF Chang’s is the world’s largest franchise of Asian food
- The brand now has more than 300+ locations around the world
- The restaurant originally opened in Kuwait ten years ago
- Founder Philip Chiang flew to Dubai to help celebrate the milestone
Everyone’s favourite Asian-fusion restaurant is celebrating a big milestone this month – ten years here in the Middle East.
The restaurant chain – which started way back in 1993 by Paul Flemming and Philip Chiang – came from humble beginnings but has now expanded to more than 300 stores in the United States, and into more than 25-countries around the world. Including 15 right here in the United Arab Emirates.
PF Chang’s opened up in Kuwait ten years ago and has since expanded to Dubai (with 11 outlets in the city, and many more to come). To celebrate, one of the founders of the eponymous brand came to Dubai to celebrate; Mr Philip Chiang.
Speaking to Esquire, Chiang said that one of the reasons the brand has done so well here in the Middle East is because of the melting pot of cultures and flavours that exist in the region. “There are so many different types of people here,” said Chiang “which means there isn’t just one type of food that is prevalent. Fortunately for us, everyone very much likes the food that we serve”.
It was Cecilia Chiang – Philip’s mother – that first got him interested in cooking, thanks to a restaurant she had in Los Angeles in the 90’s. The Mandarin Restaurant played host to stars such as John Lenin and Yoko Ono back in the day, before Philip Chiang expanded the brand to make it more approachable.
He and partner Paul Flemming expanded the brand we know today as PF Chang’s state-wide, and the rest – as they say – is history.
Stay tuned for more from PF Chang’s – including an exclusive video and podcast from the founder himself.
