For three decades, Sky Dragon Chinese Restaurant has been serving dim sum in the heart of Toronto’s Chinatown. Since May 2022, it has also played host to Queens of Dim Sum (QoDS), a series of drag brunches where Asian performers serve not food but looks as they weave between trolleys laden with char siu bao, spring rolls and more.
An old-school Chinese banquet hall may not be an obvious setting for a drag brunch, but for co-founders Ryan Tran and Sum Wong, being visibly queer in a culturally Asian space is the point.
“I’ve seen how big the Asian queer community is [from] working 10 years with Asian Community Aids Services, yet people tell me they don’t know where others are beyond DJ Sumation’s AsianXpress” says Tran, referencing Wong’s stage name and his past club nights.
The duo approached Sky Dragon at the tail end of the Covid-19 pandemic when business was slow, unsure of how accepting the staff would be.
“We just told them we’d have loud music and performances,” Tran says. “They were shocked, but in a good way. Even the cooks ran out to see what was going on.”
Guests have ranged from toddlers to a 90-year-old couple celebrating their anniversary, while the press coverage has helped Sky Dragon attract a new customer base.