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Soofi named to top 25 list of Canadian immigrants

Coquitlam restauranteur grateful for the acknowledgement
Fred Soofi
Fred Soofi was named one of the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants, along with a noted author and Canada's defence minister.

An Anmore man who operates a restaurant in Coquitlam and is active in many local causes has been named one of the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants, along with a noted author and Canada's defence minister.

Fred Soofi says he is proud and honoured to be nominated and gratified at the support he received in the final round of voting to place him in the top 25 category after the field was whittled down from 1,200.

"Thank you to all the people who voted," Soofi said of the award presented by Canadian Immigrant magazine and sponsored by RBC.

Notable among this year's award winners are Irish immigrant Emma Donoghue, the author of Room, which was made into in Oscar-winning film, and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.

Soofi said he is grateful to be among such luminaries and talked about why he feels so passionate about Canada.

"If they gave me two choices, go back to Iran and get everything you want, best house, best car everything you want or stay in Canada, have everything taken away from you and start as a dishwasher, I choose dishwasher," Soofi said, noting that an open media, freedom of expression and democracy are some of the Canadian values he prizes.

"Canadians should really exercise the freedom they have here," he added.

The owner of Pasta Polo in Coquitlam was 22 when he arrived in Saskatchewan on the recommendation of a family member. He started working as a dishwasher to earn money for university and remembers feeling like a fish out of water for the first years. When asked to make toast at the restaurant for the first time, Soofi nearly burned the down the establishment because he buttered the bread before putting it into the toaster.

"It was smoking, there was fire, [the manager said], 'What are you doing?' … Then I found out how you make toast."

Soofi eventually became an Italian chef by reading meal orders for two Italian ladies, who were the cooks.

"The Spanish chef had an argument with the owner and he left. There was nobody in the kitchen who could read English. He sent me to the kitchen. That's how I became chef."

Despite his early struggles, Soofi urges other immigrants to get involved so they can enjoy more fully the benefits of being Canadian. He also supports many causes, including Amnesty International, and has been buying and moving heritage homes in Port Moody to save them.

"I bring the example of immigrants who come from an oppressed country," he said. "You must enjoy what's offered you."