Liu Fang

My name is Liu Fang. I’m from Shandong, China, and I run a modern Chinese restaurant in Cleveland Heights, a diner called Abundance.

When we think about Chinese food in America, it’s been the same for the past 30 or 40 years, or even longer. My goal is to bring a modern twist to Chinese cuisine. With my experience running breweries and restaurants in China, I’ve brought a bit of that knowledge with me to create a more modern version of Chinese food.

When COVID began in China in early 2020, my husband and I were pregnant with our second child. I was four months pregnant at the time. Since I’m originally from this area of the U.S., our idea was to come here for prenatal care to ensure both the baby and I were safe. Our son, who was eight years old at the time, could continue his schooling while China was under lockdown. That was five years ago, and here we are—I haven’t left since.

Oh, there are so many things I love about Cleveland! I love the people here. They are genuinely nice and welcoming. I also love the community—there’s always someone here to support what you do. I really enjoy the metro parks in the area. My family spends a lot of time hiking and enjoying nature there. And the culinary scene is amazing. People are adventurous, trying new things, and bringing back what they’ve learned from other places. For example, Patrick and I have brought things we’ve learned overseas and incorporated them into our work here, with the goal of making our community better.