The James Beard Award finalist is regarded as one of the country’s top Chinese chefs, with 17 restaurants across the Southeast and Washington, D.C.
When Iron Hill Brewery abruptly shuttered its restaurants Thursday, employees across the region were left wondering where to turn, without warning and without work. Less than 24 hours later, one renowned chef is offering them a lifeline in Colmar.
The Peter Chang Restaurant Group, which is preparing to open its newest concept Mama Chang at the old Golden City Chinese Restaurant location at 118 Bethlehem Pike, issued a public invitation to displaced Iron Hill workers just one day after the closures.
The message, shared Sept. 25 on social media, expressed sympathy and extended immediate job opportunities for servers, bartenders and kitchen staff.
“We were deeply saddened to hear the news of the sudden closures today,” the Chang team wrote. “While you process this news, we want to extend a heartfelt offer of support. We believe in creating a supportive and respectful environment for all our staff.”
Yuan Lee, a representative for the restaurant, included a direct phone number for applicants (267-918-2018) and emphasized the team’s willingness to provide “a swift landing during this uncertain time.”
The outreach comes as Chang prepares to take over the former restaurant site, a landmark business in Colmar that closed in March after nearly four decades.
In announcing their retirement, Golden City’s owners thanked loyal customers for “a journey filled with joys and challenges,” while noting their excitement that Peter Chang would continue the tradition of authentic Chinese cuisine in the same space.
Mama Chang is scheduled to open the 280-seat restaurant Oct. 10 with a community celebration featuring a University of Pennsylvania's Premier Traditional Chinese Lion Dance Troupe, ribbon cutting and complimentary hors d’oeuvres, benefitting Manna on Main Street.
Make a reservation for the event here.
The 9,700-square-foot restaurant will spotlight home-style dishes from Hunan, Hubei and Sichuan, many based on recipes passed down by Chang’s mother and wife.
“Mama Chang is dedicated to the women in our family,” said Lydia Chang, Peter’s daughter and CEO of the group, in a news release. “Dining at Mama Chang’s is meant to feel like one is dining at a multigenerational Chinese family table.”
The menu includes comfort dishes such as sweet potato noodles with pork and mustard greens, spiced pork belly with tea eggs, tomato-scrambled eggs with shrimp, and Peking duck with house-made pancakes. Appetizers will range from $7 to $15, with entrées from $15 to $19 and larger plates from $18 to $38.
For employees impacted by Iron Hill’s closure, the opening presents both a fresh start and a chance to be part of a nationally recognized chef’s growing culinary empire. Peter Chang, a James Beard Award finalist, is regarded as one of the country’s top Chinese chefs, with 17 restaurants across the Southeast and Washington, D.C.
His King of Prussia location opened earlier this year as his first Pennsylvania outpost, and he runs many other successful sites across Maryland and Virginia.
In the Colmar section of Hatfield Township, Chang’s newest venture will not only carry on a beloved local dining tradition but also provide stability for those in the hospitality industry suddenly facing upheaval.
For the community, the arrival of Mama Chang promises both flavors rooted in family heritage and a renewed sense of resilience.
Mama Chang’s grand opening community party is set for Friday, Oct. 10, from 4 to 6 p.m. Proceeds will benefit Manna on Main Street, the Lansdale nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger in the North Penn region.
