From restaurant worker to brand builder in Sunset Park
From restaurant work to opening a business
For many Chinese immigrants newly arrived in New York, restaurant work is often their first job in the United States. That was true for Sam, a native of Fuzhou who has lived in the country for more than a decade.
Sam said that when he arrived, he spoke little English, was unfamiliar with the culture and had few skills he could use to find work. Restaurant work seemed like his only option. He began doing a variety of jobs in a Chinese restaurant, then spent several years working in a sushi restaurant.
After gaining experience in the industry, Sam opened a Chinese restaurant in Philadelphia that primarily served Chinese students looking for the flavors of home. He later sold the business and returned to Brooklyn with his family, seeking better educational opportunities for his children and a better environment for the family.
In July 2025, Sam and his business partner, Jerzy, opened Mr. Pot at 4805 Eighth Ave. in Sunset Park. The restaurant specializes in Cantonese clay-pot dishes.
Returning home to learn the craft
To prepare for the venture, Sam said he returned to Guangdong to study traditional clay-pot cooking and restaurant operations with local chefs. He said much of the restaurant’s furniture and décor was custom-made in China and shipped to New York.
“I wanted to bring the most complete and authentic experience back to New York,” he said.
This time, Sam said, he did not simply want to open another restaurant. He wanted to build a brand of his own.
“In the past, I opened restaurants to make money and support my family,” he said. “Now I want to create a brand instead of joining someone else’s franchise.”
Fire strikes two months after opening, forcing a seven-month closure
The restaurant’s early momentum did not last. When Mr. Pot first opened, its clay-pot dishes attracted many diners, and reservations were sometimes needed. According to Sam, a fire broke out upstairs about two months after the opening. The fire caused minor damage to the kitchen, but damage elsewhere in the building forced the restaurant to close.
Sam said the restaurant waited about five months for the fire investigation report. Repairs and approvals extended the closure to seven months, and Mr. Pot did not reopen until this April.
The landlord did not collect rent during the closure because of the insurance claim, Sam said, but other operating expenses continued, and the restaurant’s insurance payout did not fully cover its losses.
“At first, we thought we could reopen in one or two months, so for the first few months we continued paying everyone their full wages because we wanted to retain the staff,” he said.
As the closure dragged on, the restaurant could no longer cover every employee’s full wages. Sam said the employees stayed with the restaurant, and all returned when Mr. Pot reopened.
The shutdown also erased much of the momentum the restaurant had built after opening.
“A new restaurant naturally draws interest and customers,” Sam said. “But after being closed for seven months, almost all of that momentum was gone.”
In recent months, the team has invested in online marketing and used the closure to reassess the menu, service and overall dining experience. Sam said returning customers have told him the restaurant is better than before.
Thanking supporters and rebuilding a reputation
Looking back on the opening, the fire and the seven-month closure, Sam said he is most grateful to the employees and customers who continued to support Mr. Pot.
“I’m truly grateful that our employees never gave up, and that so many longtime customers continued to support us and made a point of returning after we reopened. Because of them, we have the confidence to keep going,” he said.
For now, Sam’s goal is to restore the restaurant’s customer traffic to its pre-fire level and steadily rebuild its reputation.
“A brand cannot be built in one day,” he said. “The most important thing now is to run the restaurant well and help more people rediscover us.”