Ethnic Chamber of Commerce Coalition hosts showcase of minority-owned restaurants

The Ethnic Chamber of Commerce Coalition (ECCC) hosted its first showcase of minority-owned restaurants last week, starting things off at Xi’an Noodles with food, drink, and lots of networking.

“We are going to start highlighting small businesses throughout the City of Bellevue, because they are the core of everything, as far as I'm concerned,” said Mike Sotelo, President of ECCC and a Bellevue Chamber board member at the event.

“And, you're not going to hear me use the word ethnic too much, because we just ARE ethnic,” he said. “Most of Bellevue is ethnic,” the crowd applauded.

Sotelo then opened the conversation up to City officials, including Councilmembers Lee, Zahn, and Hamilton, as well as Fire Chief Jay Hagen, to speak as folks munched down on their food. 

Councilmember Jared Nieuwenhuis, who initially helped ECCC come up with the idea of doing such an event, also chimed in. 

“It's just so amazing to have this program kick off. Bellevue is known for a lot of great things, but one of them is our emerging culinary industry,” he said. “We want to elevate them, we want to celebrate them, and we want to do everything we can to make them successful … and then hopefully bring even more restaurants to the City of Bellevue.”

Sotelo teased that they are hoping to host the next ECCC event at a local Indian restaurant, so stay tuned for more details on their website.