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Ann Arbor restaurant closing for rest of the year following head chef’s death
ANN ARBOR, MI — The recent death of Bopjib head chef Luis Castillo is prompting the restaurant to close its doors for the rest of 2022.
Castillo died on Thanksgiving, Nov. 24, in a head-on crash in Plymouth Charter Township. Michigan State Police responded to calls around 2:30 am that a driver was heading east in the westbound lanes of M-14 near Beck Road.
While the troopers were headed to the area, it was reported that two vehicles had collided in the middle lane of M-14. Castillo died at the scene, along with a 28-year-old Belleville man who the police said was believed to be the driver at fault.
Read more: 2 killed, 1 injured in Thanksgiving head-on crash
The Korean restaurant at 621 Church St. hopes to reopen in January if possible, Owner Cassandra Knisely said, but Castillo was a huge part of its operations.
Castillo worked at Bopjib for more than six years, and always treated the restaurant like it was his own, Knisely said, adding that he saw the chef as a good friend and often times like a “younger brother.”
Castillo was someone who looked out for Knisely, she said, adding that he wouldn’t even let her buy him a water like other employees. Instead, Castillo would bring his own bottle so he could save some money.
But it wasn’t just Bopjib where Castillo showed his dedication. Knisely said the chef was always taking his family out for breakfast or lunch on Sundays, and would “do anything” for his three children.
The front door of Bopjib at 621 Church St. in Ann Arbor on Dec. 1, 2022.
One of Castillo’s daughters, Fatima, agreed with Knisely and said her father was always trying to spend time with his kids. She said she had recently moved to Ann Arbor to be closer to her children and was excited to live in her apartment with her Shih Tzu Bruno.
Castillo enjoyed and really appreciated his time at Bopjib, Fatima said.
“They are all like a close family,” Fatima said. “That was like his second home. He spent most of his time there helping them with everything.”
Sam Gutman, Bopjib’s business consultant, has created a GoFundMe. as a way to support Castillo’s family and cover some of the funeral costs. Currently, the fundraiser has raised more than $3,000 with a goal of $25,000.
Gutman said the fundraiser is a way to “give back” to a chef who has made a big impact with his food in Ann Arbor.
Along with the GoFundMe, Gutman operates the restaurant’s Instagram page and said he has already seen support from the city and Bopjib customers there.
“I’ve been getting DMs (direct messages) and people reposting their stories and it’s really touching and nice to see how many people have been reaching out, spreading the news and sending the GoFundMe link,” he said.
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Zhen Kitchen: A Chinese family’s restaurant legacy in Doha | Fork the System
Doha, Qatar – About 20 years ago, in a land far far away, a young Ma Zhong Yan decided to leave Shenyang, China, to make her fortune in the world. She wanted a new start for herself, her husband Zhang Bin and her daughter Zhang Jia Ni.
So she talked to a friend, whom she still refers to as her “sister”, and together they decided they would try their luck in the United States, they had heard many success stories from there. The next step was to speak to an agent who arranged work visas, so they found a guy who knew a guy who knew an agent, and had a conversation. Everything was agreed, and the agent said he would get them visas to the US asap.
But things rarely work to plan, and the agent could only get visas to a place they’ve never heard of before: Doha, Qatar.
Today, sitting in her restaurant in Doha’s West Bay, Zhong Yan says she’s still not sure how that happened, a soft smile on her gentle face that glows in the afternoon sun. But, she says, cradling a cup of green tea, she’s glad things worked out the way they did. Even considering the pain of having to leave her husband and daughter behind so she could start a new life for them.
They’re both here with her and Zhong Yan is coming to the restaurant less often, taking a bit of time to herself now that Jia Ni has taken over managing it while Zhang Bin oversees operations in the kitchen.
She came in specially to speak to us and looks relaxed, sitting next to our friend Grace who has come to dinner to help translate. The cozy setup makes us feel like we’re visiting her at home rather than at the family’s newest venture, Zhen Street Kitchen. This is their second act after they had to close their first restaurant – a cult favorite among those Dohaites in the know – Playstation Cafeteria.
The 41 Best Gifts (2022) For Food People
Each year our staff and contributors round up best gift ideas for cooks, eaters, and the kitchen-curious. Read on for our ultimate gift guide for all the food people on your list.
It’s the season for togetherness, charity, goodwill towards mankind! Also presents. Mostly presents. While there are people on your list who require but a token, a trinket, a just-a-little-something (check out our list of gift ideas under $50 for those folks), there are others who require something…more. For your loving hubs, your friend who’s had a rough year, or your favorite child (you know which one), these are the big ticket holiday gifts that will bring a little extra sparkle to the season.
Photo by Emma Fishman
Gift your aunt with the dusty fake orchids in a dried arrangement in one of these sculptural vases made from recycled paper. It will last just as long as faux flowers but is a serious home decor upgrade.
Making rice just got cuter. This ceramic Japanese rice cooker (from Hario, which makes some of our favorite coffee gear) whistles like a tea kettle when it’s time to take it off the flame. Measuring is a snap as well—add enough rice to reach the first line on the interior of the pot, then water up to the second line and you’re good to go.
These hefty marble vessels are handcrafted north of Bangkok from local marble in sumptuous shades of pink, yellow and brown. Use the shallow stand as a catch-all tray and keep your A-List fruit on display in the pedestaled bowl.
Artist Janie Korn crafts candles that look like pimento-stuffed olives, shrimp cocktail, and the face of Tavi Gevinson, but I’m partial to this likeness of an Italian rainbow cookie.
We’ve never met a panettone we didn’t like, but Olivieri 1882’s are in a class of their own. Even your bro whose whole personality is that he studied in Florence will be impressed. Go with the classic or wild out with triple chocolate or salted apricot caramel. On the off chance that you have any left over, get ready for the best French toast of your life.
For your dad who is still buying pre-ground coffee, this incredibly handsome countertop grinder from Fellow, which has recently been upgraded with even better burrs, will take his Aeropress, pour-over, or French press to the next level. If Pops is an espresso drinker, though, this gadget isn’t for him; get the Mazzer Mini.
These opulent goblets ooze holiday cheer. They’re a holiday season extravagance—the geometric crystal stems are hand cut, and the etching on the side of the glasses is incredibly delicate—so this is not the best gift for your clumsy friend.
The gift that is for your clumsy friend? Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken or chipped pottery using gold lacquer, and this kit contains everything she’ll need to mend that cracked teacup.
If you’re traveling for the holidays, gift your host a generously sized mug from Mudwitch and then steal it for yourself every morning. San Francisco ceramist Viviana Matsuda’s wares sell out quickly, so keep an eye on their Instagram for info about drops and restocks.
Photo by Emma Fishman
No shade to those heritage French brands, but these sleek enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens designed by chef Sergio Herman for Serax have us feeling weak at the knees. These are heirloom pieces that will have your future grandkids remarking on your exquisite taste.
If you’ve ever thought, “This bowl is great, but I wish it had three anatomically accurate legs and came with faux leather slides in their own tiny shoebox,” boy, are you in luck.
This brass dabba from Diaspora Co. is a thoughtful gift for the organization enthusiast. It’ll keep their most-used spices neat and within reach instead of perilously stacked on a shelf next to the stove. Each piece is hand-spun by a single craftsman in Bangalore who has been honing his trade for over 25 years, and it comes with your choice of seven jars of high-quality, ethically-sourced spices (including Diaspora’s best-selling turmeric).
This 53″-long runner, made from reclaimed denim linen, is a rare gift that’s appropriate for both your Deadhead uncle and your Gen Z cousin.
Kyiv-based Gunia Project launched their Freedom collection of ceramics and accessories in response to the Russian invasion. This hand-painted, gilt-edged platter features St. George—aka St. Yuri, an important figure in Ukrainian culture—but instead of the traditional dragon, he is vanquishing a Russian warship.
Let your cottagecore nibling live out their pastoral fantasies with this extremely charming picnic basket from Kazi Goods, handwoven in Ghana.
This trio of liqueurs hails from Haiti, and the labels are reason enough