Mean Bao

Simon Ching thought he knew what hard work was, that was, until he opened Mean Bao. In 2013, he and his brother, Scott, were called to a family meeting with their cousins, where their uncle, Jones, proposed an exciting business venture in fast food. Though they were warned it would be the toughest work they’ve ever done in their life, Simon says the bao business, particularly as a food court vendor in The Grange, sounded like a promising opportunity.

“We never imagined it would be this successful,” Simon says three years later, from Mean Bao’s third location at Queen and Carlaw in Leslieville. The vibe is fast casual, where customers can order their Taiwanese baos (buns) and dim sum to go or stay in the restaurant’s airy cafeteria-style dining room.

It looks like a hole in the wall, located slightly off the main drag, but Mean Bao is always busy. The brothers are there seven days a week running every aspect of the business, from cooking and cleaning to customer service and everything in between. “It’s been really hard,” Simon admits. “I’m not used to this type of work.”