The Gift of Giving: Chinatown Restaurants Pay it Forward

In the Austin restaurant community, through good times and bad, there have always been owners who put needy people ahead of profits: people like Ronald Cheng (pictured above) and Hoover Alexander, stand-up guys who epitomize how great restaurants give back not only to their customers but to all people of need in the Austin community.

In this time of great need, when many restaurants are hard pressed just to stay afloat, Ronald Cheng, owner of the Chinatown restaurants, is giving as many as 100 meals a day to the homeless while also supporting first responders. He is digging deep to provide meals to those who really need them and partnering with many charities who can distribute the food.

This is far from his first act of selfless generosity. When Rockport was devastated by Hurricane Harvey, Cheng stepped up and held special dinners in support of the area. Unlike many restaurants who might give a percentage of their gross sales in such an event, Cheng gave 100% of his gross sales. In the Covid 19 crisis he continues to do the same. Hats off to Cheng! He is truly one of my heroes.

Likewise, Hoover Alexander (above), the founder of Hoover’s Cooking and the head of the Austin Restaurant Association has a heart as big as the giant hoe cakes he serves on weekends. Alexander, like Cheng, is a tireless supporter of Austinites who need help as well as a role model for those restaurateurs who desire to help, not just when it’s convenient to do so, but when it is morally imperative!

He too, is another of my heroes.