The School Room

Wing Noodles: Montréal Chinese Legacies


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If you’ve ever wandered through Montréal Chinatown, you’ve likely seen the glowing neon sign of Wing Noodles. 

Founded from an import/export shop in 1897 and later reimagined as a noodle factory during WWII, Wing’s became the last remaining Chinese food manufacturer in Montréal Chinatown — and the first producer of fortune cookies in eastern Canada. The Lee family’s business nourished generations through segregation, war, and peace.⁠ In November 2025, the Lee family made the difficult decision to retire from Wing Noodles, ceasing operations forever of their iconic family business.

On this episode, join Vivian Lee Orr and George Lee as they reminisce about their family’s illustrious history inside and beyond Wing Noodles, share the efforts underway to preserve Wing’s legacy, and reveal what the numbers in your fortune cookie might actually mean.

"Montréal Chinois: The Lost Decades / Les décennies perdues Photography 1945–1960s" is now on view at the Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver Chinatown until May 10, 2026. To learn more about the Chinese Canadian Museum and book tickets, visit https://www.chinesecanadianmuseum.ca/.

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The School RoomBy Chinese Canadian Museum