Tom Tong

Tom Tong
Chinese: 童启华; pinyin: Tong Qihua
Tom Tong at the Ganqishi training center in China (2016)
Born
Tong Qihua

1975 (age 48–49)[1]
Wenling, Zhejiang, China
NationalityChinese
Alma materTongji University

Tom Tong is an entrepreneur, and founder of Ganqishi (甘其食) and Tom's BaoBao restaurant.

Early life

Tom Tong is a native of Wenling (温岭), a seaside town in Zhejiang Province, China. This town and the surrounding region is rich in culinary, and artisanal traditions that persist into the 21st century. Tong's family moved to Shanghai when he was nine. As a child, Tong was often given bao as a treat from his grandfather as a reward for good behavior on trips to the market.[2]

Education

Tom Tong studied locomotive engineering at Tongji University, Shanghai. While Tong was a student, he founded and managed five companies including a hair salon, a shoe store, and an Internet café.[3]

Career

Ganqishi

Tom Tong founded Ganqishi[4]

Tom's BaoBao

Main article: Tom's BaoBao

Tom's BaoBao was the company's American subsidiary.

Expanding to the US

Tom's BaoBao's first store opened in July 2016 in Cambridge, Massachusetts' historic Harvard Square neighborhood.[5] Tom's BaoBao announced in October 2016 that it would also open a second location in Providence, Rhode Island, in October 2016.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ Wang, Yi (2017-05-17). "童启华：我把包子当成中国美食的"图腾"" [Tong Qihua: I regard the steamed buns as the "totem" of Chinese cuisine]. Global People Network (in Chinese).
  2. ^ "Tired of Burger? How about a bao?". bostonglobe.com. July 1, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  3. ^ Harvey, Charlotte Bruce (June 9, 2016). "Baoist". ediblecommunities.com. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  4. ^ Hatic, Dana (2015-12-14). "Tom's BaoBao Set to Join Boston's Food Truck Club – Eater Boston". Eater Boston. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  5. ^ Smart, Catherine (2016-08-24). "Tom's BaoBao: Doing one thing well". Boston Globe.
  6. ^ Ciampa, Gail (2016-02-23). "Mouths are watering for Tom's Bao Bao restaurant in Providence". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
  7. ^ Ciampa, Gail (2016-10-13). "Tom's BaoBao opens Saturday in Providence with Chinese steamed buns". The Providence Journal.