For weeks, they watched other families leave, until finally they, too, were sponsored by a pastor from a church in Tustin, Orange County, about 35 miles south of Los Angeles. He hosted Dan Quayle and Pete Wilson at his house. That's a disaster," he says. "'You want to tell my story? A map of Christys Donuts, Winchells and Dunkin Donuts across California during the height of Ted Ngoys entrepreneurship in the 1970s through the 1990s. Ted did a lot of the baking at night, with his youngest son, Chris, collecting a light dusting of flour as he slept beside him in the kitchen. Ngoy would open more shops and lease them to fellow refugees. Then Ngoy would fly to Las Vegas without telling her, sometimes staying as long as a week. But then one of Suganthini's servants appeared at his door with a reply. Before sunrise, they would climb back into her room. [10] Ngoy was hesitant to return to California for the film; he was estranged from his children and former friends. (Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment) When you first reached out to Ted, it. After cry, go back gambling." It's something Ted feels a bit bad about. They went to Europe twice. His family didn't want to see him, and nobody offered him work, not even baking doughnuts. All three were taken to the police station but they were too scared to mention the cash in the boot. All night long Ted would watch people buying coffee and doughnuts, and he realised it was a good business. When he lost their money he would just sign over the shop to them - without telling Christy, whose signature he forged. As word of Ted's success spread, Cambodian immigrants started seeking him out when they arrived in Southern California. Over the years, Ted and Christy sponsored more than 100 families, often hosting them before setting them up with homes, loans, and doughnut shops. Was there any tension or awkwardness when he visited California again?He came to visit California, I think, with a little bit of trepidation. 60? To make sure he went through with it, they insisted on hiding behind a curtain while he said his spiel. Eager to learn the business, Ngoy approached the shop owners. "It's a devil, it's a monster. Ted Ngoy was reaping rewards of that success. The Ngoys helped hundreds of refugees find housing and apply for Social Security cards. Ted joined the Republican Party, held fundraisers for George H.W. The family also still had the Winchell's so now they had two stores to run. Ted soon got a job working at Winchell's, which was then the dominant donut chain on the West Coast. Bush, met former Presidents Reagan and Nixon, and urged other Asian immigrants to support the GOP. Theres this portion in the film that goes into Ted and his ex-wife Christys experiences in Orange County during the 70s. I called her when I found out and asked if she knew about Ford and Brown. Suganthini and her mother heard the music. TED NGOY HAD an unrelenting obsession during his 1975 plane ride from Southeast Asia to Southern California. in Santa Monica. Even in gambling. And then I hate the gambling and then I hate that I treat Christy so badly, treat my children so badly, because of the gambling, so I hate myself," he says. The family were housed in a hastily erected refugee camp on a marine training base, Camp Pendleton. Hes also a sign of Mexicos healthcare crisis, Black residents of Jackson, Miss., blast plans by white-dominated Legislature for more state control, Spain approves menstrual leave, teen abortion and trans laws. The family members worked 17 hours a day and saved for a year. "I became a very, very bad man and borrowed money here and there," he says. Drenched and bleeding, he tiptoed into a hallway. One night he asked the woman at the counter if saving $3,000 would be enough to buy a doughnut shop. And I thought, How could that be? Hes passed away now so I cant talk to him about it, but it was a learning experience for me about my parents relationship with politics. We were taxed to the hilt, unemployment was high and he was very reluctant to give refugees a home here when Californians were out of work. Still penniless, after nearly four years of exile, Ted flew back to Cambodia. The couple and their three toddlers arrived penniless at Camp Pendleton, part of the first wave of Cambodian refugees. youths avoid juvenile hall comes to an end, As it approaches its first decade, the Frida Cinema abides, Shake Shack gets ready to shake things up in Orange County, Santa Anas Electric City Butcher moves online, Brews&Bites beachside beer festival comes to the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, 13 couples say I do on Valentines Day weekend at the Anaheim Marketplace, Broadway Divas serve off-Broadway realness at Segerstrom, Dine your heart out this Valentines Day with special menus throughout Orange County, 43rd annual Orange County Black History Parade & Unity Fair a source of pride in Anaheim. Ted Ngoy was born in Sisophon, Cambodia. One of their sons is a financial consultant; another is a computer-networking technician. One night, during his shift at a gas station, the scent of freshly baked goods wafted toward him. Doughnuts offered an escape from years of welfare dependency. Designers Andrew Hem and Charlie Le were awarded a SWSW Film special jury recognition for their poster design of The Donut King in 2020. The stranger who crept into her room more than 35 years ago is a stranger again. Just knowing that my great uncle Ted and the story of my parents and hearing Alice say, 'I want to really dig deep on a Cambodian donut shop,' I was like, 'Wow, this is real. He wrote a book called The Donut: History, Recipes, and Lore from Boston to Berlin and he gave really fascinating insights into donut culture, history and our relationship to donuts in America. He joined Gamblers Anonymous but was back at the tables in no time. Because of the Ngoys, a Cambodian refugees first American job was often in a doughnut shop. Some of the interviews in the film seemed that way.It was actually really wonderful to speak with particularly his older kids Chet and Savy, who until that interview, they didnt have much to do with him. Near the station was a doughnut shop. Ted, Christy and their two kids fled to Thailand. He lost all the doughnuts, said James Dok, director of the United Cambodian Community, a social service agency in Long Beach. [5] She reached out to Ngoy and other Cambodian families who ran donut shops, and within six weeks began principal photography. They were moving their capital and know-how into liquor stores, markets and fast-food restaurants. I think there's nothing wrong for them to lie to the embassy because everybody needs a chance to survive. They told him Winchells Donuts trained store managers. [3] Ngoy worked at various jobs, including as a travel agent and tour guide, before joining the military in 1970. But the situation at home was increasingly dangerous and on his last trip, in April 1975, the capital fell. How to get the best eggs in town without leaving your yard. It was on the market. The gambling is sad, the saddest part of my life.". Every time I met them I said, 'Sorry son, sorry my daughter, sorry Christy. Then he would return to Vegas in an attempt to win back what he had lost. Ngoy showed them baking and bookkeeping. He and his family barely escaped and were among. I shared love, my heart. Twice he joined a Buddhist monastery. [5] NICK STREET Channy is a stocky man in his mid-forties, and he runs USA Donut in Boeung Keng Kang with his wife. The next day, he flew back to Los Angeles leaving behind his new wife and their two children. Some of his relationships didnt end well. She thought Ted was joking, but he was serious. Christy's parents said they would let Ted live if he told Christy that he was a dog who had romanced other girls and had never loved her. "[10], Whittaker said that "as Asian Americans face increasing racism, its closing message about how immigrant communitiesdefine America has only become more timely."[8]. One by one, Ted lost all of his donut shops. He is nicknamed the "Donut King." He is nicknamed the "Donut King." During the week they went to school, where sometimes they were so hungry they stole snacks from other kids' lunchboxes. Ted liked Cadillacs; Christy preferred Mercedes-Benz convertibles. One of Ngoy's first jobs in the US was as a service station attendant. They would speed through Phnom Penh on his motorcycle, the couple recalled. I wanted to tell this story in a way that was inspirational and optimistic. She would forgive him when he promised to stop, and he would -- for a while. Long-lost ship found at the bottom of Lake Huron, confirming story of tragic collision, TikTok to set default daily time limit of up to 60 minutes for minors, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, TikTok faces bans in a number of countries over security fears. After a year of running two shops they had saved $40,000 and Ted decided to expand. When I become big guy, then I cannot go gamble because people wont vote for you. It's a monster in me.". she says. I instantly found the Realtor, the listing agent and arranged to go and have Ted walk through his old house. "I had true love for her.". He had $50,000 riding on many Sundays. This documentary tells Ted Ngoy's story that is one of fate, love, survival, hard knocks, and redemption. Through doughnuts, many Cambodians stepped out of isolation and into the American mainstream. When you get to the table, youre so emotional, evil in your body, he said. The rise & fall of The Donut King. In less than two years, while working on other jobs and projects, Gu directed and shot the 94-minute documentary. Bun Tek Ngoy touched down at Camp Pendleton on a military plane in May of 1975 with his wife and three young children. 2023 Southern California Public Radio - All Rights Reserved, Rising Egg Prices Are For The Birds. Ngoy became a trainee and took over a Winchell's in Newport Beach. Maybe Its Time To Raise Backyard Chickens, Catch A Wave In The Booming South Bay Food Scene: Here Are 11 New Restaurants To Try, Don't Celebrate Thanksgiving? Ngoys wife hated his gambling. [1], That's why I want to tell the world, "Do not gamble." The premise of family in the film is how hard your parents work and the sacrifices they make so that you can have a life better than they did. Ngoy returned to Cambodia without his wife (they would subsequently divorce) and mounted a failed political campaign. He had hidden a dagger and he took it out and stabbed himself three times. After a little research, Gu discovered that a huge number of California's independent donut shops, maybe 80-90%, are owned by Cambodian Americans, mostly thanks to Ngoy. [5], Ngoy was hesitant to return to California for the film; he was estranged from his children and former friends. None of the people Ngoy helped get started lent him a hand, he said: I trained them. Aside from what He did as he was told, but then pulled out a knife and stabbed himself, declaring he would rather die than live without her. , chronicles Ngoy's thrill-of-victory/agony-of-defeat rollercoaster ride through the American Dream immigration, capitalism, history, hubris, romance, addiction, family and food. Suganthini replied, "Well be careful, if you don't jump into my room, you'll jump into my mum's room.". It led many voters to assume, incorrectly, that he was against Cambodia's royal family, and he didn't win a seat. He began to disappear off to Las Vegas for days, losing $5,000, $7,000 a game, and neglecting his family and his doughnut empire. "And she says, 'Because Cambodian people make them.'". There were some hurt relationships. in San Clemente and, of course, DK's Donuts in Santa Monica. "I'd want [people] to know about not only the journey of the donut itself but the story of the people behind it, the people making the donuts," Tao says. , the Over the next few years, he went back every month or so, seeing Tom Jones, Diana Ross and Wayne Newton -- and betting ever-larger sums. In 1975, Ngoy fled the Khmer Rouge with his wife and three children to Camp Pendleton. LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. Christy has remarried and lives in the US, Listen to Ted Ngoy on Outlook on the BBC World Service, Download the podcast for more extraordinary stories, The Donut King, is available in the US now in theatres and online and will be coming to the UK in 2021, Listen to Ted Ngoy on Outlook: How the Donut King lost his crown. "You can't find any prettier woman besides her.". Eventually Cambodians owned so many doughnut shops in California that they dominated the market, pushing Winchell's into second place. The whole community banded together and they all agreed to sell him out of donuts every morning by 9 a.m. Then, after falling out with a powerful political rival he feared for his life and fled to the US. They both drank and vowed to be faithful. One day in 2018, she cold-called It also reminds us that several U.S. presidents welcomed a flood of refugees with open arms. That is because I had a buttermilk bar about 30 seconds out of the fryer with fresh glaze on it. From the wall, he leaped onto the roof and crawled through an open window. (Courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment). "[1] He says his Christian faith ultimately helped him abandon the habit. Working all hours, Ted and Christy knew very little about what was happening back home in Cambodia, but what they heard was bad. Ngoy and his wife became American citizens and were . "It was a different take on a refugee story,". That phrase Donut King is already so eye-catching right off the bat. Christy Ngoy now owns a Peruvian restaurant in Irvine. Two days after Gu's out-of-the-blue call to DK's Donuts, she was talking to Ngoy in Cambodia. [5] Having grown up in Los Angeles, she was doubtful when her children's nanny made a reference to "Cambodian" donuts; she thought all donuts were simply "American. Ted and Suganthini sold everything they had and arrived in California on one of the first refugee flights, with their three children, an adopted nephew and two nieces. After cry, go back gambling.. I always thought of it as a Plan B to come back and now, it has become the Plan A and more," Tao says. Driving back with $85,000 cash in the boot of the car, they were stopped by the police; they had fallen behind with payments, so the car showed up as stolen. Perpetually in need of cash, he'd ask the people running his donut shops for loans. Long hours. ", "I was like, 'What on earth makes this Cambodian? In most of America there's an average of about one doughnut shop for every 30,000 people - in LA, there's one for every 7,000 people. In 1985, he and Suganthini became U.S. citizens. He also apologised to many of those he hurt. Yes, you read that right. Director Alice Gu makes her film debut with The Donut King, following the life of Ted Ngoy. In the early 1970s, Cambodia was in the midst of a brutal civil war that displaced two million people, more than a quarter of the country's population. Beautiful views aren't the only thing drawing Angelenos to the region. I say, Ted I dont think its that easy at all. And hell respond, Ive been rich three times. He was raised by his mother, who was from Shantou, Guangdong, and who only spoke Chinese. In Cambodia, Ngoy formed the Free Development Republican Party. In 1975, Ngoy fled the Khmer Rouge with his wife and three . Your Guide To Everything Boozy You Can Order, A Los Angeles Family Seeks Answers And Accountability After Black Mom Dies In Childbirth. You just have to see the opportunity and go for it. Those are the wise words of Ted Ngoy. He said that we didnt have room for these refugees here. Ngoy managed to escape just as Phnom Penh was falling and brought his wife, Suganthini, and their three children to America in the mid-1970s. 2023 BBC. In 1993 Ted and Christy moved back to Cambodia. And it was actually a donut that I refused at first from Mayly Tao, the Donut Princess. Theres so much competition. [1], In 2013, he was living in Phnom Penh working in real estate. Channy also wholesales doughnuts to other minimarts. He bought a bigger doughnut shop, and offered to lease the original Christy's to a family of Cambodian refugees, who had been working in fast food outlets on low wages. Following his time in the nation's capital, Ngoy spent time in a monastery in the Thai countryside where he spent his morning begging for alms. They saw Elvis Presley perform, and Ted played a little blackjack. It actually made national, if not international, news about the kindness of these people in Orange County. Ted began to look for more doughnut shops to buy and lease to fellow refugees. [7][3], Ngoy's fortunes improved dramatically, such that by the mid-1980s Ngoy had amassed millions of dollars through his expanding doughnut shop empire, reported as 50 locations throughout California. Then he had his next great idea. He co-signed loans for supplies and equipment. And she said she knew a lot of people in her parents generation who are lifelong Republicans and thats why they hate the Democratic party. The film flashes back to the horror of life in 1970s Cambodia, a tragic offshoot of the Vietnam war that eliminated thousands of lives. What you've done is incredible.' Instantly acquiring the rank of Major, Ted and his young family moved to Bangkok, and every month he travelled back to Cambodia to collect the wages for his soldiers. That's because of a refugee who built up an empire, and became known as the Donut King, only to lose it all. Ngoy asked to visit. "He was afraid of being shunned and feeling lonely - but I forced him!" Whenever Ted won, the family would rejoice with him. Ted Ngoy (born Bun Tek Ngoy; 1942) is a Cambodian American entrepreneur and former owner of a chain of doughnut shops in California. Pete Wilson at his door with a reply listing agent and tour guide, before joining the in! 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