If you’ve lived in a major South African city anytime in the last two decades, you’ve seen the familiar sight. The vibrant, often green, signage of a Simply Asia Thai Food & Noodle Bar has become as much a part of our urban landscape as traffic circles and braai stands. It’s a place for a quick, reliable lunch, a family dinner, or a takeaway that promises a kick of flavour.
But behind this nationwide chain is a story not of a corporate giant, but of a single man’s palate, his perseverance, and a series of failed ventures that finally led to a recipe for success.
This is the story of Chai Lekcharoensuk, the Thai national who looked at South Africa’s food scene in the early 90s and decided it needed a little more chilli.
An Unlikely Destination
Long before he was a restaurant mogul, Chai was a student from Thailand studying hotel management in Germany. The course was a rare offering at the time. The story goes that one day, his principal made an offhand offer to the class: was anyone interested in a job in South Africa?
While others might have hesitated, Chai’s hand shot up. It was 1983, a complex time in South Africa’s history, but for a young man with an adventurous spirit, it was simply another country to explore. He landed a job as a Food and Beverage Controller at the legendary Sun City, a world away from both his homeland and his European classroom.
The entrepreneurial bug bit him quickly. His first foray into business wasn’t food at all. It was an ornaments factory in what was then Bophuthatswana. It was a holiday to Cape Town, however, that would change everything. As he explored the Mother City, he found a gaping hole in the market. Where was the authentic, upmarket Thai food he craved? Where were the complex, balanced flavours of his home?
The First Big Bet
In September 1993, taking a massive leap of faith, Chai opened the first Wang Thai Royal Thai Cuisine on Cape Town’s Foreshore. He was navigating uncharted waters. He admits he didn’t have all the answers, leaning heavily on advice from his bank and PR agencies. Language barriers with staff were a daily hurdle. Getting the word out was a slow, gruelling process.
But then, something magical happened. South Africans, both locals and tourists, responded. They were ready for something new, something authentic. Within just three months, Wang Thai was not just popular. It was profitable.
This success fuelled expansion across the Cape Peninsula and into Johannesburg and Pretoria. Emboldened, Chai even took Wang Thai international, opening locations in Mauritius and Auckland. But this is where the story takes a crucial turn. These overseas ventures failed, and failed hard.
Chai is candid about the reasons. He wasn’t prepared. He didn’t understand the local cultures or the nuances of those markets. It was a painful but invaluable lesson: sometimes, the greatest opportunity is right under your nose.
A Simpler, Smarter Recipe
Returning his focus to South Africa in 2000, Chai saw a new opportunity. Wang Thai was a success, but it was a fine-dining experience. What about the everyday South African who wanted those authentic flavours in a quick, affordable, and casual setting?
The answer was Simply Asia.
The concept was genius in its simplicity. Take the authentic recipes and trained chefs from Wang Thai, and place them in the relaxed, accessible environment of a European-style noodle bar. In 2003, the first Simply Asia Thai Food & Noodle Bar opened its doors.
It was an instant hit. The brand exploded, growing from a single store to 12 company-owned outlets in just three years. The growth was so rapid that Chai made another strategic masterstroke. He converted them all to franchises.
He knew that local franchisees, with their own skin in the game, would be more hands-on and connected to their communities than a distant head office ever could be. It was this decision that transformed Simply Asia from a successful chain into a national phenomenon.
More Than Just a Meal
Today, with over 50 stores across Southern Africa, Simply Asia’s journey is a testament to a simple idea executed well. It’s a story that resonates deeply in our multicultural South African spirit. It’s about an immigrant who saw potential where others saw risk, who learned from his mistakes, and who, in the end, gave us all a delicious new place at the table.
So, the next time you dig into a bowl of their green curry or slurp a noodle soup, remember you are tasting more than just a meal. You are tasting a dream that started with one man’s raised hand in a German classroom, a dream that, despite a few burnt ventures, found its perfect heat right here at home.
{Source: TheDailyInvestor}
