We're in the middle of Lunar New Year, which is an increasingly busy time of year for the Boston area Chinese restaurant business.
Founded by Nadia Lew Spellman, Dumpling Daughter has three locations: Weston, Brookline, and South Boston. When Spellman was a child, the dumplings her mother made were a big part of her childhood.
“When I was in my 20s and working in New York City, I was trying to make dumplings in my small apartment,” Spellman said. “I didn't have the recipe, and I couldn't get it in the supermarket the way you can buy it in Chinese supermarkets. So I decided I needed to get these dumplings out to more people.”
It's the eve of one of the most important holidays in many Asian cultures, and some Boston businesses are gearing up to celebrate.
That was the whole idea behind Dumpling Daughter, a brand that also does cookbooks and frozen meals.
Spellman's mother is Sally Lynn, who runs one of the area's most legendary restaurants. She opened this restaurant in her 1980s and helped usher in a new era of fine Chinese cuisine in the United States.
Lin initially opposed her daughter starting her own food business in 2014.
“It's a very difficult job for women,” Lin says. “You don't have much time to spend with your family…but the kids have a passion for it, so you have to support that.”
A well-known Boston restaurateur is bringing a new business to Weston that will be based in a historic tavern.
That support means everything to Spellman.
“I understand why my mother didn't want me to go into this business, because now as a mother I don't want to see my kids working hard,” Spellman said. Told. “But I also feel like it's all about the journey you go through with support. So when you work hard and get smarter and you follow that path and you have support, it becomes the most rewarding experience of your life.”
A lot has changed in Boston since the 1980s, when Lin opened her restaurant. For one, Lunar New Year is now recognized as an official holiday in the city.
After a fire in September, a dedicated team and supportive community got this Templeton landmark back on its feet.
“From the first year of 'Dumpling Girl' to now, I think Chinese New Year has gotten busier and busier every year because of the increased awareness of the holiday,” Spellman said.
Watching the representation of Chinese culture grow in Boston and watching her daughter navigate the food industry with her own business is a source of pride for Lin.
“I still find it rewarding that people remember my restaurant,” Lin said. “I'm very proud that Chinese culture is being recognized by Westerners.”
