In 2012, 2013, and 2014, I produced Chinatown
Restaurant Week® to highlight the small businesses that
make Chinatown what it is. I trademarked the name so it
could be used with care, and carried forward in a way that
honors the neighborhood and the people who keep it alive.

Now, in 2025, Welcome to Chinatown is leading a new
edition of the event in Manhattan. We’ve signed a no-fee
license agreement, and I appreciate how thoughtfully
they’ve approached every part of the process. Their
professionalism, communication, and commitment to
honoring the name all speak for themselves. I’m glad this
event is in good hands.

Offering this kind of license might not be the norm, but it
reflects why I created this event in the first place.
Chinatown Restaurant Week® wasn’t built as a brand. It
was meant to support small businesses, strengthen
community ties, and offer something thoughtful and local.

If you are thinking about organizing Chinatown Restaurant
Week® in your own community and want to do it with care
and intention, I would love to hear from you.

My hope is that one day there will be multiple Chinatown
Restaurant Weeks across the country.

Each will reflect its own neighborhood, while staying
connected by shared values and a common name.

The door is open. 開門迎人.

Chinatown Restaurant Week® is a community-driven initiative first launched in 2012 by Kaimen
Company to spotlight and support small businesses in Manhattan’s Chinatown.

After a multi-year run, the program has become part of the city’s dining legacy and

it continues to inspire community-centered storytelling today.

Celebrating Chinatown’s Culinary Culture Since 2012

This substack post written by Julie Huang,

Founder & Original Producer, Chinatown Restaurant Week®,

was published on April 15, 2025.

Trademark and Licensing

• Chinatown Restaurant Week® is a registered trademark of Kaimen
  Company, LLC, the original producer of the event in 2012, 2013, and
  2014.

• 
  

• This trademark was registered to protect the integrity, identity, and
  mission of the event - ensuring that its name is used in ways that
  reflect its community-based origins and support the small
  businesses it was created to uplift.

• 🔐 Why Trademarking Matters

A trademark helps protect more than just a name - it preserves the
meaning behind it. For Chinatown Restaurant Week®, it ensures
that the brand continues to represent culturally grounded storytelling,
small business support, and respectful use in public campaigns.

• 
  

• Without a trademark, anyone could use the name in ways that might
  dilute its purpose, confuse the public, or overlook its history.
  Trademarking allows the original intent to be honored - while still
  creating space for collaboration.

• 🤝 Licensed Use

• Licensed use means others may use the name with permission and
  under agreed-upon terms. This ensures clarity, avoids
  misrepresentation, and protects both the event’s reputation and the
  users’ interests.

• In 2025, for example, Welcome to Chinatown was granted a limited,
  no-fee license to use the trademark for their community initiative.
  This arrangement allowed them to promote their version of the event
  while acknowledging its origin and maintaining transparency with the
  public.

• “Chinatown Restaurant Week® is a registered trademark of Kaimen
  Company, which first produced the event in 2012. Used with
  permission for this edition.”

• ✉️ Interested in Using the Name?

• We welcome inquiries from organizations, community groups, or
  media interested in collaborating or licensing the use of the
  Chinatown Restaurant Week® name.

About the Original Chinatown Restaurant Week (2012–2014)

Honoring Chinatown’s Resilience, Culture, and Cuisine Since 2012

Since 9/11, Manhattan’s Chinatown faced an uphill battle. Foot traffic had
dropped, small businesses were struggling, and the neighborhood was largely left
out of citywide recovery efforts. In response, Chinatown Restaurant Week® was
launched in 2012 by Kaimen Company, LLC to drive visibility, traffic, and
celebration back into the heart of Chinatown.

Modeled loosely on the format of NYC Restaurant Week but rooted deeply in
community needs, the event highlighted authentic dining experiences - bringing
locals, press, and curious food lovers to explore the flavors and stories behind
each restaurant.

🗓️ Timeline

• 2012 – The inaugural Chinatown Restaurant Week® featured a curated list of
  17 restaurants offering prix-fixe menus and cultural promotions, along with
  storytelling about the chefs and owners behind them.

• 2013 – The event took place in the aftermath of Sandy returned with expanded
  participation and press coverage, featuring new eateries and legacy
  businesses alike.

• 2014 – A final edition continued the momentum, strengthening ties with the
  community and further establishing Chinatown Restaurant Week® as a
  homegrown movement of food, culture, and resilience.