Chuan (Tom) Tien Li has been a Chef since the age of 16 in his native country of Taiwan.  Chuan came to the United States in 1984 and his wife Hsiu (Sho) Kuan Li followed in 1985.  They first worked together at the same restaurant in Houston, TX before moving to Madison.  It was good fortune that they ate with friends at a restaurant whose owner was looking to sell.  Thus, with some hard work and bank loans the Red Pepper Chinese Restaurant and Lounge (1518 N. Stoughton Road) was born.

     Hsiu states, "The hardest thing for us was getting our name out there. This is one of the reasons we named our restaurant 'Red Pepper' to show that we have spicy cuisine and that we are unique.  We did not advertise in any media outlets, people came to our restaurant by word of mouth. We keep prices low to stay in competition and we offer authentic Chinese dishes but with a different flare. We use better ingredients, plus everything is fresh; fresh vegetables, fresh meats, seafood and poultry".

     "From the restaurant in Texas that we owned, we brought in new dishes as well as diet dishes.  Dishes that were not available in other Chinese restaurants in the area.

     Chuan and Hsiu make sure their customers feel comfortable and relaxed with excellent food and friendly service, working side by side, as they have for 20 years in the business.  Their secret is that they are a great team, and they look forward to their new ventures in food and giving Madison great cuisine.