Felix Serves Up Chicken With A ‘Southern Feel’ At New City Market Restaurant
SAINT JOHN – I knew the new City Market restaurant, Chicken By Felix, was opening soon because I walked by it nearly every day as it was being constructed. I knew it had finally opened last Wednesday when I walked into the market and the smell of freshly cooked chicken was in the air.
I looked to my right and there was a line already forming as lunchtime started.
“The first day was a hard one, it was really busy,” said owner Liu Xiao, a recent immigrant from China who also goes by his English name, Felix.
Felix, who emigrated here two and a half years ago with his wife Rui Hua and his seven-year-old son Leo Liu, served more than 120 customers on that first day, an exhausting but gratifying first day for him and his family after months of hard work to open their new business.
Like many immigrants and entrepreneurs, the path to owning his own business did not follow a straight line.
Felix graduated with a degree in computer science from a university in China and worked for 13 years in the field. But he had a difficult time finding an IT job after he arrived here, and eventually got a job working in the bakery at Costco in Saint John that ignited his passion for the food business.
“They were really good to me there and I found it interesting,” he said.
At the same time, his close friend and neighbour in Quispamsis already owned the Shwarma Hut in the market.
“He told there were some empty spots and suggested I contact the City Market and see if I can get a place to open a restaurant,” said Felix.
An ice cream business beside the Shwarma Hut was closing down, and Felix asked where she got her equipment.
She directed him to Milneco Ltd. in Rothesay, a family owned business that acts as a distributor for Carpigiani ice cream, gelato and Broaster Chicken equipment to restaurants, canteens, tourist destinations and gas stations throughout the Atlantic provinces.
“Maybe I can buy some [of their equipment] and run an ice cream store too,” said Felix.
Felix paid the company a visit to see their ice cream equipment. He liked it but came away even more impressed by the chicken, said John Walker, the N.B. and P.E.I. sales manager for Milneco.
“He sampled our ice cream and we told him about our chicken. He liked the ice cream but liked our chicken better,” said Walker, who spent the first few days helping out Felix at the restaurant.
Broaster is a 60-year-old company based in Wisconsin that supplies breading, marinades, seasoning, and equipment to make its branded chicken products to thousands of independent food providers across North America and the Middle East.
“The chicken has that southern feel – lightly breaded, not what we experience here in Atlantic Canada with the heavy breading,” said Paul McCarthy, who heads up Milneco’s Nova Scotia operations and was also on hand to help Felix for the first few days.
Broaster does not sell franchises to entrepreneurs like Felix. His restaurant is independent and does not pay royalties or fees to the company. Felix just has to use Broaster food products and cook them the way the company prescribes. The startup costs are much lower and the profits are very good for both the chicken and ice cream businesses, say Walker and McCarthy.
“It’s a small investment [rather than] getting into a major franchise that could cost hundreds of thousands to start,” said Paul.
It’s a worthwhile investment for Felix as he establishes a new life here for his family. Originally from a large city in the southeast of China called Nanjing, Felix likes Saint John for the ocean and its affordable lifestyle. He also wants to make sure his son has a good education but is happy too.
“In China the teachers are strict and there is a lot of homework,” said Felix. “I went through this, so I don’t want my son to go through it. I want him to have a [good] childhood.”