Season XIII: Fani + Peter Gau, San Luis Oriental Market, San Luis Obispo, CA

Fani and Peter Gau own and operate the San Luis Oriental Market, a specialty and import grocery store in San Luis Obispo, California. Peter’s parents Sim and Meng Gau founded the shop in 1992 and ran it until 2017, when he and his wife Fani took over. Since then, they’ve built a customer base that includes a new generation of customers. The market always offered Asian sauces, spices, noodles and condiments, as well as some decor and seasonal goods. Under Fani’s leadership,, the shop now sells many more snacks, drinks, Asian veggies, and prepared foods like bao. During the interview, the Gau’s loaded me up with a bagful of snacks and treats, like sweet basil Lay’s potato chips, Thai boba iced tea, and I even get to try Steak-flavored Cheetos on the mic. I learned about how their young family began, how they’ve made it through the pandemic thus far, and how the recipe for Mom’s crab dish is strictly off-limits.

Instagram: @slorientalmarket