Yummy Asian Cuisine owner Vicky Chen and Mayor John Vieau cut the ribbon to welcome the new restaurant to Chicopee.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Garnet
CHICOPEE — Owner Vicky Chen and her staff hosted a grand opening of Yummy Asian Cuisine at 108 West St. on April 16, introducing her second location to the Chicopee community.
Chen said they have been planning this grand opening for over a month because they were excited to join Chicopee and bring their food to the city.
She said, “My hope is everybody can come and join us for food. Our food is the only thing that supports me to keep opening Yummy Asian Cuisine around the whole Massachusetts because I believe my food is the most freshest Chinese food.”
Chen explained that every dish is prepared individually and they use fresh ingredients like meat and vegetables to provide the customers with a good experience.
Besides wanting to expand her business, Chen said she wants to change people’s perception of Chinese food.
“I want to change people’s mind because Asian food is not fast food,” she stated, “If people do this the right way, Asian food is not fast food. We want people to know that Asian food is not just soy sauce.”
Some of the cooking methods she explained are using is cooking rice with butter instead of oil and making sure her food is not greasy.
Yummy Asian Cuisine has another location in Palmer, but Chen said she wanted to open this second location in Chicopee to cut down on travel time for customers traveling from all over Western Mass.
She further stated, “I tried to make Yummy [Asian Cuisine] to become a franchise. That’s the most main thing I try to do is I want everybody in [Massachusetts] to know Yummy Asian Cuisine.”
Yummy Asian Cuisine has a variety of food options from traditional Chinese food, sushi, Japanese food, Thai food, hibachi, poke bowls and desserts. There is also a bar in the location to provide mixed drinks.
Chen said, “The most powerful thing is my food so I hope everyone can enjoy our food. If everybody loves the food, that’s how we look at how the restaurant is.”
Yummy Asian Cuisine is open Tuesday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. It is closed on Mondays.
Chen stated, “I want everybody to come over, try our food and to give me support so I can keep moving to provide good food.”
Mayor John Vieau was one of many stakeholders from the city at the ribbon cutting event and had a message for the business and its location.
He said, “Thank you for investing in Chicopee. You’re investing in the downtown. There is a renaissance happening here, a revitalization of downtown and having wonderful new restaurants here that’s going to draw people is something I’m very excited about.”
Vieau wished Chen and her business the best of luck and urged the public to not overlook the business based on parking.
He said, “There’s plenty of parking. Don’t think that’s a reason not to come and when the food is good, they come.”
Guests were invited inside for a food tasting after the ribbon cutting event.
