"We Love To Eat"
Courtesy of Maggie Stein
“I see many customers…lots of the same faces…many old faces.”
Courtesy of Maggie Stein
Courtesy of Maggie Stein
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When I ask her about the demographics of her customers, I watch as she visibly deflates. While the trademark flavor of the blazing peppercorn coupled with the authenticity of Szechuan heat has drawn a significant customer base, Audrey hopes for more. She has seen many new faces and many old come to dine under the iridescently magnificent column but she wishes more American customers would visit.
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Audrey desperately wants for Americans to try authentic dishes given that Szechuan Heat is an upscale restaurant serving authentic Szechuanese cuisine. She wants “everyone to know the culture” and Szechuan Heat is the vehicle for its spread.
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She absolutely rejoices knowing that Szechuan Heat allows Chinese families to enjoy the flavors of home and connect with their heritage and history. Audrey also recognizes the power of food and wants Americans to accept their invitation as well.
Courtesy of Maggie Stein
“My first son always had ear infections…so I stayed home.”
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After graduating from Stony Brook University, she married her husband, Kit Lo, in 1990. Their vows were exchanged under a lovely October sky and their marriage held the promise of a new chapter of Audrey’s life.
This new chapter began with a move to North Carolina. Her husband’s job with IBM moved him and Audrey 507.8 miles into the south. She initially worked in the Duke Hospital Patient Department before briefly working as an auditor in the Department of Revenue. However, Audrey’s selfless nature manifested again, this time, in the beautiful form of motherhood. Her first son’s frequent ear infections prompted her to stay at home and care for him.
A beaming smile illuminates her face as she talks about her two sons. Now 27 and 24, her sons, Chris and Wesley, were not only raised under the Carolina Blue sky, but they graduated in Carolina Blue caps and gowns as Tar Heels.
This Audrey Lo is comfortable and open with me, and her tenseness has evaporated as we converse. We look through her eldest son’s gorgeous wedding photos and I smile at the pride that glistens in her eyes. She is proud of her son and the man he has become.
Courtesy of Unsplash
Courtesy of Unsplash
Courtesy of Google Images
"I've Been Working Ever Since Then."
Courtesy of Unsplash
"I love to cook!"
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When “we first immigrated, I stayed at [my aunt’s] house a lot and I watched her cook.”
She pinpoints this as when her love for cooking was born. Audrey remembers going into the kitchen and watching her aunt prepare Burmese food.
Courtesy of Google Images
“I am a good helper.” Audrey asserts and I could not agree more. She is a helper and a giver; the understated glue in her family and the restaurant’s tapestry.
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Thai Lanna Interior
Courtesy of Google Images
Courtesy of Google Images
With both of her children of school age, one of her dear friends convinced Audrey to enter the world of restaurants. However, this new sphere was not completely alien to Audrey.
Helping at the front desk and in the kitchen, Audrey was a pivotal individual in her friend’s restaurant, Thai Lanna. She called the work “simple,” but I get the distinct feeling that it was anything but.
Thai Lanna specialized in Thai food which Audrey explains to be very similar to Burmese cuisine, something she is well acquainted with preparing.
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Learning from her aunt, Audrey’s understating of the Burmese flavor profile is impassioned and grounded. She shares mouthwatering images of curry noodle soup, sticky rice and walnut shrimp…quintessential Burmese dishes and her favorite meals to craft.
She enjoys creating these lovely aromatic dishes with light flavors of mint, basil and oregano. Although she does not consider herself Burmese, this culture and cuisine has played an important role in her life.
Courtesy of Unsplash
Courtesy of Google Images
Courtesy of Google Images
Courtesy of Unsplash
SZECHUAN HEAT
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She became the manager of Szechuan Heat in 2017, when the restaurant first opened its doors. Since accepting this managerial role, Audrey has become more familiar with the fiery flavor profile of Szechuan cuisine.
As we peruse the menu, she points out tiny little peppercorns depicted on an image of the Braised Fish Fillet in Szechuan Sauce.
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“These will give a numbness to your mouth!” she cautions.
“But this fierce flavor is characteristic of Szechuan cuisine…they use lots of chile oil too!”
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Audrey might claim to not “be good at Szechuan,” but the grace and confidence with which she explains this bright and bold flavor profile is quite telling.
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Courtesy of Google Images
All Images: Courtesy of Szechuan Heat Online Menu
Food is more than sustenance for Audrey Lo.
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Food is her passion and her legacy in many ways.
I can feel the joy radiating from her as she enthusiastically shares how much her heart soars when customers delight in their meals.
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She works tirelessly as manager to ensure that each customer is satisfied with their dish and their experience.
It was when she shared the story about cooking with her aunt that I saw her the happiest during the interview.
She beamed, “We love to eat,” and I believed her.
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She is attuned to the most popular selections and I am mesmerized as she flips through the menu, rolling dishes off her tongue without hesitation. “Chongqing Spicy Chicken and the Duck Soup…families love the Braised Fillet in Szechuan Sauce.” Glossy laminated pages slip through manicured fingers… “The Sliced Beef with Sour Pickle Soup is authentic Chinese…people also love the snow pea for its young and tender texture… We serve a lot of the Griddle Chicken and the Japanese Egg Tofu as well.” I am amazed at the wide variety of popular dishes and mentally make a note to try them upon my next visit.
Courtesy of Google Images