Chef Annie Der, owner Tao Tao Restaurant at 13th and Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas, will be honored with a surprise celebration at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The community will gather today to celebrate Chef Annie’s 75th birthday, as well as the restaurant’s 50th anniversary.
Several community leaders, including Mayor Tyrone Garner, are planning to attend the surprise celebration. The host of the event is the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce.
The mayor issued a proclamation at Thursday evening’s Unified Government meeting marking Chef Annie and Tao Tao Day in Kansas City, Kansas.
Chef Annie and her husband emigrated from China and opened their first restaurant in Kansas City, Kansas, on Feb. 12, 1972, at the corner of 13th and Minnesota – where it remains and prospers today thanks to Chef Annie and legions of patrons who adore her.
The family is known for its kindness in feeding local kids for free while they are going through tough times.
The proclamation honoring Chef Annie:
“Whereas, Annie and Wally Der immigrated from China, met and married, started their first Chinese restaurant together in Wyandotte County / Kansas City, KS; and
“Whereas, Realized their dream of purchasing a building and starting a business; and
“Whereas, Fifty years ago today, February 12th, 1972, Annie and Wally Der opened Tao Tao Restaurant at 1300 Minnesota Avenue, and
“Whereas, They started a family and raised 4 children, Tina, Irvin, Leo and Dara whom have all worked in their local restaurants; and
“Whereas, The Der family continues to epitomize the arduous work, family involvement and customer loyalty it takes to be successful; and
“Whereas, Chief Annie continues to serve Chinese food with LOVE, working wholeheartedly, entered her 75th year of life on February 10,2022;
“Whereas, The Der family and their family owned restaurant exemplifies our goal of developing comprehensive plan that attracts small businesses, sekking to locate, grow, and prosper within our community.
“Now, Therefore, I, Tyrone Garner, Mayor/CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, do hereby proclaim Saturday, February 12, 2022, as:
“Chef Annie Day/Tao Tao Day” in Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas as a celebration of this landmark restaurant and commend them for their consistently outstanding contributions to our city. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas.
Tyrone Garner, Mayor/CEO