Brandon Jones' mother-in-law adored the tempura broccoli at Ekiben restaurant in Baltimore, and after learning she had terminal cancer, Jones made it his mission to serve her that favorite dish one more time.
His mother-in-law lives in Vermont, so Jones sent an email to Ekiben's owner, Steve Chu, on March 11 asking if he'd share the recipe for the family to recreate at home. "She loves that broccoli, and I really wanted her to have it one more time," Jones told The Washington Post. Chu responded with a better idea: "We'd like to meet you in Vermont and make it fresh for you." He assured Jones that he understood it was a six-hour drive, but was happy to make the trek.
"To me, it was a huge honor to be able to help fulfill the family's wishes," Chu told the Post. "This is about her, not us. There was a lot of food, positive energy in doing this." Jones' wife, Rina Jones, estimates that her mom ate at Ekiben at least 20 times over the last few years, and Chu's generosity "is just so above and beyond. It's an incredible act of kindness."
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On March 12, Chu, joined by his business partner Ephrem Abebe and employee Joe Anonuevo, headed up to Vermont, where they got cooking in the back of a pickup truck outside of the mother-in-law's condo. In addition to the broccoli, they also made tofu with peanut sauce and steamed rice, and when she answered her door, "she recognized the aroma immediately," Jones said. "It smelled amazing."
She also recognized Chu and his crew, and was in disbelief that they drove up to Vermont to cook for her. Chu told the Post he remembered her as well, and even though "we see a lot of people in the restaurant ... she always stood out. She loves the food and always made sure to tell us."
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