Journey to the top. Fight or flight

We’re still struggling to articulate our emotions tbh, but On 10th March 2022 we won Time Out Dubai’s “Best Thai Restaurant” award for the third consecutive year – this time for our new licensed branch (former pop up). We also won a Highly Commended (silver medal) award for Dubai’s Best Casual Dining Restaurant.

Back in 2016 we were underdogs with no commercial experience and often thought: “What have we done?” Would we even get the restaurant open let alone survive the first year? We did open but with no money left and zero staff.

It was fight or flight. We fought with our hearts and souls - overcoming betrayal and climbing mountains of all kinds (you know - the stuff books are made of. Literally homeless at one point (with a litter of abandoned kittens in the cupboard) we clung on to hope and the belief we were on the right path (I mean, even back then Chef New’s food melted hearts). There were moments when one or both of us wobbled under the pressure but we eventually re-grouped and strolled slowly but steadily forwards with the help and support of our families, the best customers ever and a very small number of true friends. Thank you for believing in and helping us. Thank you for loving our food and spreading the word.

People often said they could feel the love in Chef New’s food. Little did they know what she was going through personally at that time. To keep going when the odds are stacked against you is one thing but to keep going and pour your heart out into the food day-in-day-out is another.

The irony of winning awards like this is your anxiety goes through the roof and the pressure is enormous but on the flip side it’s motivating. Managing consistency becomes managing CONSISTENCY. This is not an easy business. We give it our all. We also have a brilliant small team and we thank every one of them for their commitment.

At the 2022 Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards. Photo: ITP Media

This summer we’ll open our fourth outlet. It’s different but will have as much of our hearts and souls as our other places do. We will of course invite you to put your stamp on it too.

Get ready to meet some more family members joining us soon.

Our love and thanks as always

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