Fat Rice Explained

Fat Rice
Established:2012
Closed:2020
Chef:Abraham Conlon
City:Chicago
State:Illinois
Country:United States

Fat Rice was an American restaurant inspired by the food and culture of Macau, China.[1] Located in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois and operating from 2012 to 2020, Fat Rice was known for their Arroz Gordo, a home-style Macanese dish which translates to "fat rice". Then-head chef Abraham Conlon once claimed Fat Rice is the "only restaurant in the world" to serve the dish.

Background

Fat Rice Restaurant, which was founded in 2012, closed down normal operations in March 2020.[2]

Philanthropy

During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Fat Rice owners launched the Fat Rice Community Relief Kitchen to help their staff, other restaurant workers, and Fat Rice customers.[3] Conlon and Lo provided meal kits which were offered at whatever price people could afford to pay.[4] Those meal kits were either delivered or taken out, considering people’s safety. Each meal kit intended to supply three meals to two people contained tofu and vegetable soup, pork meatloaf with mushrooms, and marinated chicken thighs with vegetables.  

Their mission was to help flatten the curve of coronavirus outbreak and to help those people who were financially struggling due to restaurant closures.[5]

Ownership

Fat Rice was owned and managed by Abraham Conlon, a James Beard Foundation award winner,[6] and Adrienne Lo, a Chinese American and Chicago native.[7] Both have culinary roots.[8]

Fat Rice also operated an adjacent cocktail bar, called The Ladies' Room[9] and an Asian-inspired pastry shop called The Bakery at Fat Rice.[10]

Awards

Leadership controversy

The restaurant's owners, Abe Conlon and Adrienne Lo, made two Instagram posts in solidarity with those participating in the George Floyd protests in early June 2020.[16] Conlon issued an apology for his behavior on Instagram,[17] and shut Super Fat Rice Mart indefinitely after the criticism.[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mai . Jeffy . 2 March 2017 . How Fat Rice's Arroz Gordo Is a Chicago-Only Melting Pot of Cuisines . 21 May 2018 . Eater.
  2. Web site: Smith . Colby . 2020-04-29 . Fat Rice Restaurant Has Closed And Opened A Market In Its Place . 2022-11-26 . Secret Chicago . en-US.
  3. Web site: Bloom . Mina . 2020-03-19 . Fat Rice Offering Pay-What-You-Can Meal Kits To Laid-Off Industry Workers, Others In Need . 2022-11-26 . Block Club Chicago . en.
  4. Web site: Walsh . Molly . Acclaimed Chicago Restaurant Sells Pay-What-You-Can Food Kit During Coronavirus Crisis . 2022-11-26 . NBC Chicago . en-US.
  5. Web site: Bendersky . Ari . Chicago Restaurants Are Turning to Philanthropy to Help Staff, Community . 2022-11-26 . InsideHook . en-US.
  6. Web site: Selvam . Ashok . 2018-05-07 . Fat Rice’s Abe Conlon Wins Chicago’s Only James Beard Award in 2018 . 2022-11-26 . Eater Chicago . en.
  7. Web site: About Abe, Adrienne and Fat Rice . 2022-11-26 . Plate . en.
  8. Web site: Dean . Jacob . 2018-04-23 . Chef Abraham Conlon, Fat Rice, and the Search for Flavor . 2022-11-26 . The Cook's Cook . en-US.
  9. Web site: Fat Rice Reveals The New Skinny About Their Upcoming Cocktail Lounge. Selvam. Ashok. 30 December 2015. Eater. 21 May 2018.
  10. Web site: The Bakery at Fat Rice Is Making the Best New Cookie in Chicago. Todd. Anthony. 17 January 2018. Chicago Magazine. 21 May 2018.
  11. Web site: Knowlton . Andrew . Fat Rice - #4 Best New Restaurant in America 2013 . 2022-11-27 . Bon Appetit . en.
  12. Web site: Best New Restaurant Eat Out Awards 2013 . 2022-11-27 . Time Out Chicago . en-US.
  13. Web site: Addison . Bill . 2017-10-04 . The Midwest’s 38 Essential Restaurants . 2022-12-12 . Eater . en.
  14. Web site: Fat Rice Named Restaurant of the Year, Expansion and Bar Coming Soon . 2022-11-27 . DNAinfo Chicago . 2022-11-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221127011344/https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160120/logan-square/fat-rice-named-restaurant-of-year-expansion-bar-coming-soon/ . dead .
  15. Web site: Nominees & Winners . 2022-11-27 . Jean Banchet Awards . en-US.
  16. News: Anderson . Brett . A Top Chicago Restaurant Messaged Its Virtue. Then Workers Spoke Up. . 4 July 2020 . The New York Times . 16 June 2020.
  17. News: Selvam . Ashok . Acclaimed Fat Rice Topples After Outcry from Employees . 4 July 2020 . Eater . 17 June 2020.
  18. News: Bloom . Mina . Fat Rice Shut Down Indefinitely After Employees Accuse Co-Owner Of Racism, Verbal Abuse: ‘I Am Deeply Sorry’ . 4 July 2020 . Block Club Chicago . 9 June 2020.

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