Chifa LA recently hosted a luncheon that served up a celebration of food, family, and future-forward thinking. The event honored Chef John Liu, the Michelin-recognized culinary force behind Chifa LA and the newest ambassador of the McDonald’s 1 in 8 program—an initiative spotlighting the journeys of 1 in 8 Americans who have worked at McDonald’s.
Liu’s story blends cultures, cuisines, and corporate beginnings into a tapestry of success. The event took place at Chifa LA, where attendees experienced a live conversation about his career path, and sampled Chifa’s fusion menu enhanced with a nostalgic twist—McDonald’s sauces—all while getting a firsthand look at what it means to build a brand rooted in heritage and hard work.
“I wanted to get a peek behind the curtain,” Liu said, reflecting on his early days at McDonald’s. “It’s a recognizable, global brand. I figured they must be doing something right. If I work there, I’ll get to see how this works.”
McDonald’s was a launching pad for Liu. It taught him the importance of “quality, consistency, and experience.” These are principles that now form the backbone of Chifa LA. “At McDonald’s, it’s not just about the food, it’s the feeling you get. Reproducing that experience at scale is no small task. That stuck with me.”
Located in Los Angeles’s Eagle Rock neighborhood, Chifa serves Chinese-Peruvian fusion cuisine, a nod to both Liu’s Taiwanese-Chinese roots and his wife Ricardina Leon’s Peruvian-Chinese heritage. “The term ‘Chifa’ itself comes from Peru. It’s how locals refer to Chinese food, derived from the Chinese phrase ‘chi fan,’ meaning ‘to eat,’” Liu explained. “My wife’s mother, Wendy Leon… ran a Chifa in Peru in the 1970s. That’s our inspiration.”
Together with Ricardina, who serves as CEO and COO, and with Wendy as the culinary muse, the Liu-Leon family has created a restaurant that invites guests into what feels like an extended family gathering. “We used to cook for friends and family during Fashion Week events all over the world. It grew into this big family party feel. Eventually, we said, why not make this permanent?” Liu said. “Chifa is that tent—we welcome everyone into our family.”
The 1 in 8 luncheon wasn’t just a celebration of Liu’s journey; it was a spotlight on how restaurants shape people beyond the plate. “Opening a restaurant requires more than just making good food,” Liu shared during a live conversation with journalist Jeff Yang. “You need systems, leadership, executive functions, and the ability to make people feel comfort and consistency.”
McDonald’s aims to highlight these attributes through its 1 in 8 program, which celebrates the pathways former employees have taken. At the luncheon, attendees were treated to a multi-course tasting menu featuring Chifa favorites paired with classic McDonald’s sauces, an homage to Liu’s beginnings. A McDonald’s manager from LA surprised Liu with a cake, while a colleague from the McDonald’s Santa Monica location presented him with a commemorative “1 in 8” varsity jacket. It was a symbolic nod to where it all began.
Coming from a family that emphasized professional careers—engineers, professors, doctors—Liu was inspired by his father’s creative side. It gave him the opening to pursue what he loved. Liu carries this spirit of breaking molds and redefining paths and hopes to pass it down to his own children. He and Ricardina decided on homeschool for their kids in order to expose them to diverse life experiences, like working in the restaurant.
“Our philosophy is that the world is their classroom. Whether they follow in our footsteps or not, the lessons they learn from this environment—teamwork, business, problem-solving—will serve them wherever they go.”
Liu hopes to grow the Chifa brand into whatever form that takes. The goal is to establish a strong foundation that allows the next generation to build upon it in their own way. “There’s no one path anymore,” he said. “The box is everything.”
McDonald’s 1 in 8 program celebrates the journeys of the 1 in 8 Americans who have worked at McDonald’s. The initiative is dedicated to amplifying stories of growth, highlighting the transferable skills and career-building opportunities offered through McDonald’s jobs—both past and present.
Chef John Liu is the program’s latest ambassador, using his platform to advocate for mentorship, entrepreneurship, and the life-changing impact of hands-on work experience.
From behind the counter at McDonald’s to the head of a Michelin-recognized kitchen, Liu’s path proves that where you start doesn’t define where you finish. Sometimes, it’s the early lessons in a fast-food kitchen that teach you how to serve the world.
