Eric Sze
886 | New York
OCTOBER 2019
Born in Taipei, Eric Sze has fond memories of the vibrant street food culture from his childhood. When he moved to the states to attend New York University in 2011, he was surprised by the misunderstanding and underappreciation of Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine in the American market. Studying hospitality and tourism, Sze received hands-on experience in the kitchen, interning at Momofuku’s Má Pêche and Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque. After graduating in 2015, Sze founded Scallion Foods LLC, a Chinese delivery startup inspired by the Slow Food movement. As the owner and director of the business, Sze managed the menu, logistics, and marketing, preparing him for his next entrepreneurial ventures.
In 2016, Sze opened The Tang, a modern Chinese noodle bar in the East Village serving classic dishes with popular modern Chinese twists. Two years later, Sze left The Tang along with the general manager Andy Chuang and the pair opened 886, a Taiwanese restaurant named after Taiwan’s country code. Wanting to bring the vibrancy of Taiwanese nightlife to the space, the East Village restaurant is covered in neon and serves playful takes on typical fare, including honey glazed popcorn chicken and Taiwanese sausage fried rice.
