ediblesf.com | 31 It’s been eight years since Parry first came to the Bay Area to work at Michelin three- starred Benu, cooking at incredibly high levels and volume. In 2018, he moved on to Palette Teahouse as chef de cuisine, sharpening his management skills, supervising 25-30 people before finally striking out on his own in 2023 with the Happy Crane pop-ups. On a Sunday at a boba shop in China-town, his first pop-up opened to a full house. Originally, he intended the pop-ups to be a side gig while pulling together his business plan, but that changed as he met diners who had driven from as far as Sacramento or Mountain View for a taste of his food. “I think I underestimated how valuable pop-ups were to the entire process because, okay, great business plan. But there’s no better business plan than cooking and presenting your food, and people tasting it and understanding it,” says Parry. During the pop-ups, he collaborated with local restaurants such as Nisei, Cocktail Haven, Rich Table, and Pomet in Oakland, and he met his investors through the pop-ups. It was the first time professionally that he showcased his style of food and represented something authentic to see the public’s response—something more people will get to experience once the restaurant opens. “I do not allow myself to be limited to only Cantonese; I spent a good amount of time in Beijing and Chengdu, and so naturally, I want some of those flavors to come through as well,” says Parry. “While challenging and reimagining traditional dishes is exciting and allows me to be creative, I am equally as passionate about elevating the basics, and I would take as much pride in hearing how much one enjoys our char siu, as I would if someone liked the creativity of a dish reimagined.” Happy Crane honors his Chinese heritage, symbolizing longevity, wisdom, and nobility. Expect authentic Chinese food with a contemporary, playful twist, imbued with seasonal ingredients—char siu and roasted meats, house-made noodles, and an array of dim sum and small plates, plus cocktails crafted to complement the food. “We have an opportunity to be part of a new wave of restaurants that are really proud of representing their culture and heritage of their respective cuisines,” says Parry. “My feeling is that people are increasingly seeking out more authentic flavors and dishes, but that does not mean you cannot be contemporary and creative at the same time. I feel like this is what we are striving to be as a restaurant.” Opposite: Chef James Yeun Leong Parry. Above: Soy cured duck yolk with dungeness crab. Top right: Firecracker shrimp with gamtae seaweed. Bottom: Golden coin: rose wine chicken liver and char siu pork.
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