Liu Fang, Chef of Abundance Culinary: Most Interesting People 2025

40, Chef

Why She’s Interesting: Started as a pop-up in 2021, Abundance Culinary, now permanent in a former diner car in Cleveland Heights, is one of Cleveland's most exciting new restaurants. 

Connection: Raised by her grandparents in Qufu, Shandong, China, Fang met Northeast Ohioan Carl Setzer at an industry-focused college in Hubei. After, they stayed connected on Facebook, now banned in China. "Back then, you poked people." 

Up North: Growing up in Northern China, the corridor to the Silk Road, Fang experienced Muslim cuisine, Shanxi's noodles, Chongqing's numbing peppercorn, Hubei's pickling and more. "It opened up my world." 

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Deep Down: Her first job made her only the second woman to enter China's dangerous mines, subverting a cultural superstition. She cut her hair to pass as a man. "Coal would fall on my helmet. It was a nightmare." Yet, the job let her travel and try new foods.

First sip: Fang and Setzer started Great Leap Brewing, the first craft brewery in Beijing and the second in the country. "Nobody even knew what a craft beer was."

Related: Abundance Culinary Is Chef Liu Fang and Carl Setzer's Contemporary Chinese Cuisine Come-up Story

Busy hands: During COVID, a pregnant Fang expected a short stint in the U.S. for medical care until Setzer, on business, was detained by the Chinese government. "Making buns and dumplings was very therapeutic."

Pushing forward: Abundance is a modern Chinese experience unlike any other in town — or beyond. "My grandpa, the chefs I worked with did not make food like I make. In a way, being able to make the food that they wanted to make if they had the resources that we have in Northeast Ohio is an extension of their dream."

Meet the rest of the 2025 class of Most Interesting People >>

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