Chi Kitchen, Pawtucket, RI

Meet Minnie Luong, Co-owner and Founder of Chi Kitchen in Pawtucket!

Minnie was born on a beautiful rice farm in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam and grew up in a loving, food-obsessed family in Pawtucket, RI. Back then it was hard to find quality Asian ingredients at their local grocery stores to make their favorite dishes. So they grew and preserved their own foods in order to connect with their culture and to enjoy healthy and delicious family meals together.

Minnie worked as a chef in California until 2015, when she quit her job and moved her family back to Rhode Island to start Chi Kitchen. In her new home in Providence, she unpacked her “vision board” and hung it on the wall. The board featured images of kimchi and her goal to become an entrepreneur. Minnie was astonished when her husband and business partner, Tim Greenwald, pointed out that there was an image of Providence on their vision board, and that's when they knew they were doing the right thing-starting a healthy Asian food company- at the right time and in the right place. Chi Kitchen went from vision to reality!

Chi Kitchen has been thriving for five years and remains dedicated to creating healthy Asian food products for the well-being and vitality of their customers. They are known for their award-winning fermented kimchi, sesame slaw, and kimchi pickles. Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented spicy cabbage dish that is loaded with billions of beneficial probiotics. It offers a slew of health benefits: Low in calories, high in fiber, it helps with digestive health, it is an anti-inflammatory; known to support the immune system and lower cholesterol. She says "it's the healthiest snack you should be eating right now!"

Minnie’s favorite part about being a small business owner is building relationships with her employees, customers, and partners. “Our goal is to extend our positive CHI, which means ‘energy and life force,’ into everything we do for the betterment of our community,” Minnie told us.

Minnie and Tim found great value in having a personal connection with Washington Trust and say, “our relationship with Washington Trust has helped us grow, even during a global pandemic.” They love owning a business in Rhode Island because it is a small, connected community where business owners can interact and learn from one other.

You can find Chi Kitchen products in retail stores throughout New England including Whole Foods, Dave's Market, Urban Greens, Star Market, Clements Market and over 100 grocery stores throughout New England! To learn more about Chi Kitchen, visit their website here.