8Fold's Mission Statement
Our mission is to put our whole hearts into everything we want 8Folds to be: simple and delicious Chinese food, a space for local artists and musicians to exhibit and perform in good company, and a community-driven place for travelers and locals alike to feel welcome. We will be continually trying to find new ways to make ourselves more sustainable-- environmentally, culturally and socially. We are here to create a place for open minds, open hearts, and open smiles. Come and say hello!Why 8Folds?
Why 8folds you ask? Well, a little bit of Chinese tradition if you will.... You see, the dumplings we will be making were originally given the shape they have to mimic that of an ancient Chinese currency, called the yuanbao. Naturally this means that they symbolize prosperity, but more than that, they symbolize togetherness as well. And hey, who doesn't like a little bit of prosperity and a LOT of togetherness!
So, moving along... One sunny Melbourne day as we gathered at a friend's birthday lunch, we had a lively discussion about our still very raw idea of opening a dumpling restaurant. Someone piped up and asked ' hey, how many folds are you going to put in your dumplings?' ...To which we had no answer! How does one go about deciding how many folds to put in a dumpling?? Well, as far as numbers go, you can't go wrong with the number 8 in Chinese numerology. It is an auspicious number because of it's similarity in sound to the Chinese word for 'prosper'-- again! So it only seemed natural to stick with Chinese tradition and share a little prosperity with all the lovely souls that come to eat with us. And so it is: 8Folds!
So, moving along... One sunny Melbourne day as we gathered at a friend's birthday lunch, we had a lively discussion about our still very raw idea of opening a dumpling restaurant. Someone piped up and asked ' hey, how many folds are you going to put in your dumplings?' ...To which we had no answer! How does one go about deciding how many folds to put in a dumpling?? Well, as far as numbers go, you can't go wrong with the number 8 in Chinese numerology. It is an auspicious number because of it's similarity in sound to the Chinese word for 'prosper'-- again! So it only seemed natural to stick with Chinese tradition and share a little prosperity with all the lovely souls that come to eat with us. And so it is: 8Folds!
Meet the
Alice is a lover of food, music, travel & friends--- and... a maker of dumplings! She grew up in rainy Vancouver, surrounded by all sorts of international cooking. BUT, Chinese food will always be the closest to her heart. After spending some time in Australia traveling and working and meeting amazing people-- travelers and locals alike, she felt inspired and decided it was time to have some 'real direction'. (Ha!) And what better than to share with the world something that combines all those passions! She is looking forward to all the adventures this project has to offer, and to embarking on this journey with her 2 amazing friends :)Stephanie's Story
Stephie used to be an average, typical, down-to-earth German girl until she won a trip to Australia on a radio show. This funny coincidence turned her life upside down. Now she knows what she has been missing in her life: traveling, meeting inspiring people and getting to know other cultures and food! She and Alice met while wwoofing on a cattle station in 2008. In 2010 she couch surfed with Alice & Selina and fell in love with their food. Her first experience with Dumplings was folding them for Chinese New Year last February. (I can’t remember the number of the folds though…). She studied business administration and this project is a great challenge for her. She is looking forward to extending the menu some time later to share her bubble-cup-addiction with as many people as possible!Selina's Story
Six years ago, Selina accidentally became a teacher. Though she enjoys her teaching career, she has always dreamed of running a restaurant and feeding people yummy and unpretentious food. Apart from the fact that food replenishes our body with nutrients and can at many times evoke orgasmic moments to our taste buds; food also shapes us historically, socially and culturally. It is these areas of interests that inspires Selina to teach, share and impart her knowledge about food through 8Folds. It should also be known that Selina is addicted to music and her ukulele; and will strive to merge her passion for music and food!
Chris' Story
Chris is the one and only, authentically Made-in-China new addition to 8Folds! Graduating from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in June 2011, Chris will be focusing on the realization of the art fringe corner inside the restaurant with the knowledge he has learnt from theatre school. He is a Stage Management major and has been participating in different art projects since 2008.Hailing from Hong Kong, Chris has had the privilege of enjoying many local Hong Kong delicacies (and priced reasonably cheap too!). So when Selina and Alice came to HK-town on their Asian journey and bumped into Chris at a CouchSurfing drinks meet-up; he took on the responsibility as their guide on their foodies hunt! It was during the few days spent together did it open the eyes for both the girls and him on all the many good foods HK had to offer. Apart from specializing in the Arts field, Chris is also in charge of Chinese recipe translation and alcohol consumption!
