I
t wouldbefairtocrownAmyChantaSydney’squeen
ofThaicuisine.Theconstantstreamofpunterseager
tonaba tableat anyofhersevenrestaurantsandthe
never-endinglinesthatformoutsideareevidenceenough.
ChantaopenedherfirstChatThaiin 1989 on
LiverpoolStreetinDarlinghurst,andhassinceexpanded
tocreatea Thai-eateryempire,whichis nowrunbyfamily
membersincludingherdaughterPalisaAnderson.
“I haddeepreservationsaboutjoining my mother’s
business,”saysAnderson.“I grewup
witnessinghertotaldedicationto
therestaurants,whichmeantthere
waslittletimeformuchelse.”
Andersonwasdeterminednotto
workinthehospitalityindustry,but
thewayoflifewasingrainedinher
froma youngage.“I spentmostof
mychildhoodandteenageyearsat
therestaurantwithmymum,eitherdoingmy
homework,doingthedishesorlyingontopofthefridge
waitingforhertodeep-cleanthekitchenbeforewewent
homeat oneortwoo’clockinthemorning,”saysAnderson.
“Foodwaseverythinginourhousehold.”
Afterlivinginfourdifferentcountriesanda stringof
careerchanges,shedecidedtoreturntoAustraliawithher
husbandandtheirtwokidstohelpbuildhermum’sbusiness.
“I knewthatI wouldhavetostrikesomebalancebetween
beingdevotedtothebusiness,butalsomakingtimeformy
youngfamily,”shesays.“Butasit turnsout,thebusiness
is sucha deep-seatedpartoffamilylife, as everyone who
works with me I count as family.”Anderson’shusband,Matt,worksasin-housecounsel
andback-of-houseoperations.Herbrother,PatLaoyont,is in
chargeoftheinteriordesign,brandingandmaintenanceofeach
location,whileChantaworksasAnderson’smentorandadvisor.
“Mumis stillveryactiveindealingwithouruppermanagement
andwetalkaboutthefoodconstantly,”saysAnderson.
Whenit comestomenudevelopment,themother-daughter
duomakesa goodteam.“Weeachhaveourstrengthsand
weaknesses,” she says. “Ithelpsthatwehavedifferentpreferential
flavourpalatesandwetendtomeetin
themiddle.Webothlovetousebold
aromatsandlongcookingprocesses
todrawoutflavourandmakethe
foodas authenticas possible.”
ChatThai’ssuccessfulevolution,
whichalsonowincludesBoonCafe
andAsiangrocerJarernChai,is in
largepartduetothefamily’sstrong
bond.“I amveryluckytohavea mumwhorespectsmyopinions
andis alwayswillingtoputintopracticemysometimescrazy
ideasthatdon’talwayswork,”saysAnderson.“Workingina
familybusinesscanbefrustratingat timesbecauseyoucan’t
reallywalkawayfromfamily.Overall,ourrelationshipis deeper
becauseofourexperienceworkingtogetherandwehavelearnt
tohavea lovelysimpaticointeraction.”
Aboveall,kindnessandgenerosityarethemostvaluable
thingsAndersonhaslearntfromworkingwithhermum.“Her
approachtopeoplehasalwaysbeentoleadwithunderstanding
andkindness.Thiscoloursallourbusinesschoices.”
ChatThai,variouslocations,NSW,chatthai.com.au;BoonCafe
and Jarern Chai, 1/425 Pitt St, Sydney, NSW, (02) 9281 2114.AmyChanta&PalisaAnderson
CHAT THAI, NSW
by Karlie Verkerk
A Thaidishofbetel
leaveswith
accoutrements
(miengkham),
madebyPalisa
Anderson.Left:
AndersonatBoon
LuckFarm,NSW.
PREVIOUSPAGES
AmyChanta(from
left) and Anderson.64 GOURMET TRAVELLER