Community Spotlight
Cristina Wu Feng
Chef and Owner, Cantoo Latin Asian Rotisserie
Determination. Perseveranza. 坚持.
When chef and owner Cristina Wu Feng describes herself and the heart of Cantoo Latin Asian Rotisserie, she chooses three words.
In English: determination
In Spanish: perseveranza, meaning perseverance
In Chinese: 坚持 (jiān chí), meaning to persist
Those three words tell the story of a young Chinese Venezuelan leader who grew up between cultures, learned to bring people together long before she knew she was leading, and now runs a restaurant in San Francisco’s Tenderloin that embodies the idea of belonging across identities. They also reflect the connection she has built with Ascend NorCal as a community partner, culture-builder, and bridge between professionals and families in our region.
A childhood lived between cultures
Cristina was born in Venezuela to Chinese immigrant parents who ran restaurants for decades across Venezuela and Panama. She grew up surrounded by the rhythms of food service. At first, she translated between customers and her parents. Later, even as a teenager, she helped consider menus, vendors, and business decisions. Her parents not only listened to her ideas but often acted on them.
When she moved to China for boarding school, she found herself “in-between” cultures again. In Venezuela, she did not look like everyone else. In China, her accent and lifestyle showed she was not fully from there either. Yet this did not push her inward. It pushed her forward.
Cristina became part of event planning committees, organizing gatherings for more than 30 classmates and even negotiating with the school principal to make it work. Those experiences helped her understand people. They taught her to listen, to notice differences, and to look for shared threads.
“I learned to accept that people are different, but we share so many similarities if we look for them,” she said. “Listening and being humble helped me know how to support others, even in small ways.”
This was the beginning of her leadership identity long before she ever called it leadership.
Building a home for blended identity: Cantoo Latin Asian Rotisserie
Cristina studied hospitality and tourism at San Francisco State University (SFSU). After graduating, she discovered a small restaurant space in the Tenderloin. Opening a business in San Francisco felt intimidating. The restaurant scene is competitive. The cost of operating is high. The Tenderloin can be unpredictable.
She hesitated. But her family encouraged her. She wanted to create stability for them. And she wanted to finally share the blended culture she had grown up with: Venezuelan comfort food, Cantonese flavors, Chinese techniques, and a spirit of bringing people together across difference.
That vision became Cantoo Latin Asian Rotisserie.
The name “Cantoo” hints at Canton yet also nods to a “can too” philosophy that mirrors her belief that people can embrace all parts of their identity.
On the menu, traditional Venezuelan dishes and Chinese dishes sit side-by-side. A guest might enjoy a hot Venezuelan empanada with one hand while scooping fried rice with the other. Rotisserie chicken is prepared with Asian flavors yet paired with Latin sides. The menu is not fusion for novelty. It is fusion that reflects a life lived in two cultures.
“I wanted Cantoo to be a place where people, like me, who grew up between cultures, feel seen,” she said. “You do not have to choose one identity. You can be both. You can too.”
The Tenderloin location itself mirrors her story. It sits between Chinatown and other immigrant communities, an in-between place that holds many different cultures in one space.
A commitment to community
Before Cantoo existed, Cristina told her mother that if they ever opened another restaurant, she wanted to use it to give back.
“I wanted to push myself to a place where I could help people in whatever small ways I could,” she shared.
That intention has shaped her partnership with Ascend NorCal.
Cristina learned about Ascend during her time at SFSU, but could not find time to participate while she was working full-time and completing a double major. When Ascend NorCal reached out years later to ask if Cantoo could cater a leadership event, she felt honored.
“I knew what Ascend meant to the community,” she said. “As a young leader, I wanted to follow that model and be part of it.”
-Cristina Wu Feng
In 2025, Cantoo supported Ascend NorCal professional programs and Ascend Cares initiatives. At Mission Neighborhood Centers in San Francisco, Cantoo helped nourish approximately 50 families, more than 200 meals. When Cristina introduced herself in Spanish and shared the origins of her dishes, faces across the room lit up. She connected with the community not only through food but through shared cultural roots.
“We bring people together with food,” she said. “People may come from different backgrounds or be going through difficult things, but when they sit and share food, especially food that brings back memories, it helps them connect.”
From leadership events to community service, Cantoo became a bridge between Ascend’s professional members and families in need.
From impact to influence
Cristina’s story aligns naturally with Ascend NorCal’s 2025 theme of Leading for Our Future. She is a young leader who learned early to listen, to organize, to negotiate, and to build community. She leads by elevating others. She leads by honoring every part of her identity.
As we move toward the 2026 theme of Connected Leadership: From Impact to Influence, Cristina represents what that evolution looks like. Influence is not about visibility or recognition for her. Influence is:
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showing up for your neighbors
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building community across cultures
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encouraging other small businesses to serve where they live and work
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using food as a tool for belonging and connection
Her hope for Cantoo is to continue expanding its partnerships, including with groups like Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC), Ascend and local organizations supporting immigrant families, youth, and community development. She also wants to introduce more dishes that evoke memories from different regions and cultures, inviting people to connect over stories and shared comfort.
“What I hope is that Cantoo can influence others to show up for their community,” she said. “To be present, to support each other and to find connection in our differences.”
Cristina is an example of what it means to lead with determination, perseveranza, and 坚持. She reminds us that leadership does not require a title. Leadership begins with identity, community, and the courage to keep showing up.
Her story, and the story of Cantoo, continues to grow. One plate, one family, one act of connection at a time.
Cristina and her Cantoo team
Cristina showcasing the flavors of Cantoo at November 2025 Inspiring Across Generations
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Cristina speaking at an Ascend Cares: Financial Literacy & Family Support Session