Chow has said his restaurants have always been underlined by "this desire and need to promote the Chinese culture", which he has done through food. He visits China at least twice a year, and has said he's thrilled by the country's economic growth and greater presence on the world stage. "China always has been a great, great nation", Chow said in an interview for "The Wall Street Journal" and added, "Chinese people — I like them. What can I say?" His restaurants have been widely panned by food critics, but remain popular for decades due to their ability to attract celebrities with the allure of fancy dining and intentionally high prices.