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“I shouldn’t have co-signed (for the loan), but I was a dummy.”įrom the start, the upscale Japanese-French restaurant - behind the check-in counters, in an area outside the security zone - didn’t pull in enough diners.īy Chen’s account, he was hemorrhaging $100,000 a month before he pulled the plug in March 2001, after less than a year. “I felt proud to be selected,” Chen said in a recent interview with us. He says he was pushed by an airport leasing agent to sign on as an anchor tenant - knowing he was eligible for a low-interest, city-backed loan intended to encourage minority-owned businesses to locate there. He told us he put in a bid for a noodle shop - only to be picked for a “fine dining” spot he really didn’t want. Here’s hoping restaurateur George Chen’s ambitious and highly hyped $20 million-plus China Live food emporium on Broadway in the heart of Chinatown turns out better than the equally lavish venture he attempted at San Francisco International Airport - which left taxpayers on the hook for millions of dollars.Ĭhen’s Restaurant Qi and Water Bar was one of more than 15 restaurants selected to add luster to the airport’s new International Terminal when it opened in 2000.Īt the time, Chen had eight restaurants in the Bay Area, including such well-known spots as Shanghai 1930 and Betelnut. Courtesy Assemblyman Phil Ting/Office of Assemblyman Phil Ting Show More Show Less

Paul Chinn/The Chronicle Show More Show Less 3 of3 Elected officials Phil Ting, David Chiu, Aaron Peskin and Scott Wiener pose with George Chen, as he is honored with state proclamation during opening of his China Live marketplace in Chinatown. Chen's ambitious project on Broadway Street includes a tea cafe, restaurants and retail space all under one roof. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle Show More Show Less 2 of3 Executive chef George Chen views the wood counters for the retail section as the grand opening of China Live nears in San Francisco, Calif. 1 of3 Executive chef George Chen meets with his kitchen staff as the grand opening of China Live nears in San Francisco, Calif.