Daphne and Alan Gu took over ownership of Ying’s on Keen Street 17 years ago. Their hard work, love of cooking and support from other locals during flood recovery has seen them through to maintain their reputation as one of Lismore’s treasures. Daphne took some rare time out to share her story with Sara Browne.

I came here to the area in 2000 so it has been my home for 23 years. I was 17. I came by myself. Actually, I came as an overseas student, I went to Trinity, only for one year – year 10. I couldn’t really say I enjoyed it because I didn’t know English at all when I came. I had to learn by listening, even very basic words I didn’t know the meaning of. I was scared.

I was the only Chinese student at the school. I have an aunty in Alstonville, I lived with her in Ballina at the time. She didn’t speak much English either. Some of the teachers helped me to learn, they were very nice. I made some good friends. I had a really nice female friend who looked after me all the time. She took me everywhere at school because I didn’t understand the schedule of classes.

It wasn’t really my choice to come. I had never left home. It’s so far away here from China. I wasn’t keen. My mum wanted me to have the opportunity. Even the night before I left to come, I was crying and saying ‘I don’t want to go’. I missed them a lot. I have a brother and a sister. They came here later for study, after me, just a few years ago. They came and finished uni and went back to China.

After one year at Trinity, the principal said ‘your English is too bad, we can’t keep you here’, something like that. He said I would be better off to do an English course first. Then I went to Ballina Tafe. There weren’t that many Asian people then, not enough to make a class. So, I went to some of the course for about another year and then I met Alan. We met through friends, he was living in Murwillumbah. We got married, we were quite young, almost 20 years old.

Yings kitchen before and after flood rebuild 2022

My parents came to visit a lot before covid. Everything changed after that. I haven’t seen them for four years now. I might go back next year to visit. We are from a place near Hong Kong. It’s very busy, people everywhere. I don’t miss city life really. Now I’m more enjoying Lismore life. I like the quiet.

We bought the restaurant 17 years ago. It was called Yung’s before. I was seven months pregnant with Lily, our second daughter. I was working too hard. One month later she was born, she was a month early. I went to hospital for three days and then I came back to work straight after. We have three children.

I didn’t study to be a chef. I never thought a restaurant would be my life. I’m more into fashion and beauty. I was a dancer in China at school - traditional Chinese dance. I was never connected with cheffing or restaurants. Alan’s parents had owned a restaurant since he was little so almost his whole life he had been connected to kitchens and chefs. He helped his parents sometimes with cooking and everything.

I keep doing it because there is nothing else I can do and now I like cooking. I like cooking at home sometimes too. Sometimes the kids cook too. I don’t really think about living anywhere else. My kids have all grown up here so we wouldn’t go back to live in China. We’d love to go back for holidays, my kids love it. They don’t really speak fluently. We can speak Mandarin and Cantonese. The kids understand but they don’t want to speak, they speak English just like Aussies.

When I was a child, I dreamed of being involved in fashion or beauty. My mum was an accountant. My dad was in the building industry. My brother has his own cleaning company.

Yings dining area before and after flood rebuild 2022

We’ve experienced two floods since we’ve had the business. The first one was 2017. I still remember it was right up to the window. We were only closed two weeks, not long. We tried to open up quick, we needed money coming in. We had already lost everything. The bills kept coming. We had help, so many amazing people in Lismore, that’s why I love Lismore. That’s why I don’t want to move. It’s such an amazing community.

Last year’s flood was horrible. We were closed about two and a half months. Not long. I think we were the first restaurant to open back up. And everyone came in to support us. People were so patient, they never complained or anything. Some had waited even one hour for food and they were still happy.

We work a lot, basically every day. We take breaks sometimes. We need to or we just couldn’t do it. I like gardening. I grow some vegies. I didn’t grow up gardening, it's just a change in my life in Lismore. There is nothing else to do. I think I’m a successful gardener, I have vegies, herbs and fruit.

Yings Chinese and Thai Restaurant is at 142 Keen Street.



Visit their facebook page for menu and opening hours