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Priscella Yang: The Smile Behind
Chinese Star
 Chinese
Star restaurant at the University of
Houston has had a quite valiant
history, as the family-run business
has grown and survived despite the
changing landscape of the campus –
much to the gratitude and joy of
owner Priscella Yang.
Upon Priscella Yang’s arrival in the
United States from Taiwan, she knew
no English, and worked at McDonald’s
in an effort to learn – washing
dishes and cleaning the bathrooms.
After the birth of her first
daughter, Priscella explained,
through tears, the difficulties she
faced as her husband developed a
kidney stone that required him to
return to Taiwan for surgery, while
she stayed with their new baby.
Earning sufficient money was
difficult, as Priscella and her
husband struggled to maintain a
business with a limited knowledge of
English and even hostility from the
community. Mrs. Yang described the
gun robbery that took place at her
and her husband’s to-go restaurant
that forced them to close down out
of fear.
Priscella and her husband travelled
back and forth from her brother’s
restaurant in Corpus Christi and
Houston, and moved to Houston for
the delivery of their second
daughter. They looked for a
restaurant to open in Houston, and
heard about Chinese Star.
After discovering how to submit a
financial statement for the
restaurant application with help
from her family, Chinese Star was
opened July 30, 1990, with only
Priscella and her husband running
the restaurant. Business was
difficult, as Priscella remembers
making only fifty dollars and
seventeen cents the first day.
Business picked up after the first
year, but Chinese Star faced another
challenge 18 years later, when a new
parking garage needed to be built.
Priscella was faced with the
decision to relocate or close down
her business.
A loyal customer heard about her
situation and told her he wanted to
help her. He organized a student
petition to keep Chinese Star on
campus, and within two weeks, they
had over 3,000 signatures. The
University took notice of the
student support, and through a
series of circumstances, Chinese
Star was able to stay in business,
moving to the building that was
previously a Pizza Hut.
Priscella mentioned her pride at
only having raised prices three
times by about 30 cents in the 20
years they have been in business –
going from a $3.95 special to a
$4.95 special. She stressed that she
did not want to raise her prices
very much, as UH had been so kind to
her.
“When I came to US, there was a lot
of things I didn’t know. But a lot
of people helped me. When you fall
down, you want to stand up, it’s
very hard. But I’m lucky. I’m very
lucky that people helped me, ” said
Priscella.
Mrs. Yang also emphasized her
daughter’s insistence that she thank
the University of Houston for
helping her to go to school. “When
we opened, she just wanted to go to
first grade. Now, the first has
already finished college for 6
years. The second one got her
Masters this December. So it’s very
good.”
Mrs. Yang is very thankful to have
had the opportunity to continue
working at UH running her
restaurant. “I really like it here
because every day I talk to young
people and I feel like I’m still
young!” Priscella said, laughing.
Priscella hopes to stay at the
University of Houston as long as she
is able, serving the campus
community with delicious food and a
warm smile.
For more information about food
service at the University of
Houston, visit
www.uh.edu/auxiliaryservices/dining.
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