Ruby Foo Wong (1904 – 1950),[clarification needed] better known as Ruby Foo, was a restaurateur who founded the historic Ruby Foo's Den in Boston in 1929. One of the earliest Chinese-American women restaurant owners, she went on to open similar restaurants in New York, Miami, Washington, and Providence.
Ruby Foo was born in San Francisco in 1904. In 1923, she moved to Boston, where she started a one-room restaurant in Chinatown. The venture was a success, and in 1929 she opened Ruby Foo's Den, a restaurant and nightclub, at 6 Hudson Street. Billed as "Chinatown's smartest restaurant", the "Den" was the first known Chinese restaurant in the U.S. to attract a large non-Chinese clientele. In the 1930s and 40s it was a nationally known gathering place for famous athletes, actors, and other celebrities.[1] It became one of the first Boston restaurants to expand into other cities when Foo lent her name to similar establishments in New York City, Miami, Washington D.C., Providence,[2] and Montreal.[3] Foo was a mentor to many aspiring chefs in the Boston area.[4]
Foo was married three times and had two children, Earl and Doris Shong. Her third husband was William Wong. According to the Boston Globe, after seeing the famous "Bloody Saturday" photograph of a crying baby in a bombed-out Shanghai railway station, she arranged to have the baby brought to the U.S., where she adopted him in 1938, naming him Ronald.[5][6]
Foo died of a heart attack in her Jamaicaway home on March 16, 1950, aged 42[clarification needed].[5] Her funeral was attended by prominent city and state officials, as well as "stage, screen, and radio personalities".[7] She is commemorated on the Boston Women's Heritage Trail.[4]
ReferencesEdit
^To, Wing-kai (2008). Chinese in Boston: 1870-1965. Arcadia Publishing. p. 50. ISBN9780738555294.
^"Spilling the Beans: The Night Club Beat". The Boston Globe. October 21, 1942.
^O'Connor, D'Arcy (2011). Montreal's Irish Mafia: The True Story of the Infamous West End Gang. John Wiley & Sons. p. 38. ISBN9780470676158.
^ abKaufman, Polly W. (2006). Boston Women's Heritage Trail: Seven Self-Guided Walks Through Four Centuries of Boston Women's History. Applewood Books. p. 46. ISBN9781933212401.
^ ab"Ruby Foo, 42, Restaurateur, Dies Suddenly". The Boston Globe. March 16, 1950.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ruby Foo's.
Photo: Ruby Foo's in Boston, 1951.
Photo: Ruby Foo's Den, 240 W. 52nd St. (West of Broadway) New York, ca. 1945
Photo: 1937 menu
"Pan-Asian palace Ruby Foo's ends 15-year run in Times Square". NY Daily News. October 21, 2015.
September 02, 2023
ruby, wong, 1904, 1950, clarification, needed, better, known, restaurateur, founded, historic, boston, 1929, earliest, chinese, american, women, restaurant, owners, went, open, similar, restaurants, york, miami, washington, providence, born1904san, francisco, . Ruby Foo Wong 1904 1950 clarification needed better known as Ruby Foo was a restaurateur who founded the historic Ruby Foo s Den in Boston in 1929 One of the earliest Chinese American women restaurant owners she went on to open similar restaurants in New York Miami Washington and Providence Ruby FooBornRuby Foo1904San Francisco U S DiedMarch 16 1950Jamaicaway Boston U S Known forRestaurateurBiography EditRuby Foo was born in San Francisco in 1904 In 1923 she moved to Boston where she started a one room restaurant in Chinatown The venture was a success and in 1929 she opened Ruby Foo s Den a restaurant and nightclub at 6 Hudson Street Billed as Chinatown s smartest restaurant the Den was the first known Chinese restaurant in the U S to attract a large non Chinese clientele In the 1930s and 40s it was a nationally known gathering place for famous athletes actors and other celebrities 1 It became one of the first Boston restaurants to expand into other cities when Foo lent her name to similar establishments in New York City Miami Washington D C Providence 2 and Montreal 3 Foo was a mentor to many aspiring chefs in the Boston area 4 Foo was married three times and had two children Earl and Doris Shong Her third husband was William Wong According to the Boston Globe after seeing the famous Bloody Saturday photograph of a crying baby in a bombed out Shanghai railway station she arranged to have the baby brought to the U S where she adopted him in 1938 naming him Ronald 5 6 Foo died of a heart attack in her Jamaicaway home on March 16 1950 aged 42 clarification needed 5 Her funeral was attended by prominent city and state officials as well as stage screen and radio personalities 7 She is commemorated on the Boston Women s Heritage Trail 4 References Edit To Wing kai 2008 Chinese in Boston 1870 1965 Arcadia Publishing p 50 ISBN 9780738555294 Spilling the Beans The Night Club Beat The Boston Globe October 21 1942 O Connor D Arcy 2011 Montreal s Irish Mafia The True Story of the Infamous West End Gang John Wiley amp Sons p 38 ISBN 9780470676158 a b Kaufman Polly W 2006 Boston Women s Heritage Trail Seven Self Guided Walks Through Four Centuries of Boston Women s History Applewood Books p 46 ISBN 9781933212401 a b Ruby Foo 42 Restaurateur Dies Suddenly The Boston Globe March 16 1950 Ask the Globe The Boston Globe August 2 1996 via HighBeam Research dead link Ruby Foo The Boston Globe March 17 1950 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ruby Foo s Photo Ruby Foo s in Boston 1951 Photo Ruby Foo s Den 240 W 52nd St West of Broadway New York ca 1945 Photo 1937 menu Pan Asian palace Ruby Foo s ends 15 year run in Times Square NY Daily News October 21 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ruby Foo amp oldid 1152587868, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
