This Chef Turned a Tiny Tofu Shop Into Oakland’s Most Meaningful Meal

This is a fantastic story about community, resilience, and the power of food. The chef you’re referring to is Sheng Thao (no relation to Oakland’s mayor of the same name), and the tiny tofu shop is Sinto Gourmet, which she transformed into Sinto Market-Sinto Gourmet, the heart of Oakland’s “Most Meaningful Meal.”

Here’s the story of how she did it.

The Humble Beginning: Sinto Gourmet

Sinto Gourmet started as a small, unassuming tofu shop in East Oakland’s Sobrante Park neighborhood, run by Sheng Thao’s parents, Hmong refugees from Laos. For years, it was a beloved local secret, known for its fresh, handmade tofu and traditional Hmong ingredients. Sheng, who had worked in tech, began helping her family at the shop.

The Pivot: From Tofu Shop to Community Lifeline

The transformation began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sheng Thao saw the dual crisis unfolding: her family’s business was struggling, and her community—including many elderly, immunocompromised, and low-income families—was facing severe food insecurity and fear of going out.

She realized her tiny shop could be a solution. She started using the store’s kitchen not just to make tofu, but to prepare free, nutritious, culturally appropriate Hmong meals for anyone in need.

Why It Became “Oakland’s Most Meaningful Meal”

The effort, which grew into a massive mutual aid project, earned that title for several key reasons:

1. Cultural Nourishment: The meals weren’t just generic sandwiches. They were dishes like pho, purple sticky rice, Hmong sausage, and stews—food that provided comfort, dignity, and a taste of home for the diverse Asian and immigrant communities in East Oakland.

2. A Mutual Aid Model, Not Charity: Sheng emphasized that this was about community helping community. While she solicited donations, the operation was built on reciprocity. People who could pay for a meal did so, and that money funded meals for those who couldn’t. Volunteers from the neighborhood helped cook, pack, and deliver.

3. Addressing a Critical Gap: Large, institutional food banks often can’t provide culturally specific food or reach homebound elders without paperwork. Sinto Gourmet’s hyper-local model filled this gap perfectly, ensuring the most vulnerable were fed with food they actually wanted to eat.

4. Sustaining the Family Business: The influx of donations and paid meals for the project helped keep the original tofu business afloat during an economically devastating time. It was a brilliant, sustainable model that supported both the givers and the receivers.

The Legacy: Sinto Market Today

What started as an emergency response has become a permanent and vital part of the community.

• The Meal Program Continues: While the peak pandemic crisis has eased, the meal program continues to serve hundreds of people each week, solidifying its role as a community institution.

• A Expanded Hub: The success allowed them to expand physically. They now operate as Sinto Market – Sinto Gourmet, a larger space that remains a grocery store for Asian and Hmong specialties while also functioning as a community kitchen and distribution center.

• Recognition: Sheng Thao’s work has been featured in major publications like the San Francisco Chronicle and Bon Appétit, bringing well-deserved attention to her model of community-centric business.

In essence, Sheng Thao didn’t just serve meals; she built a self-sustaining ecosystem of care. She took her family’s legacy of traditional food and used it as a tool to nurture, protect, and empower her entire neighborhood, making that tiny tofu shop the undeniable home of Oakland’s most meaningful meal.