A Thai fusion restaurant in California has touched locals — and internet users around the world — with a surprising act of generosity toward one of its own.
On Tuesday, September 19, Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar in Bakersfield closed its doors and posted a sign outside for customers, notifying them that the restaurant would be closed for the next two weeks.
That’s because they are treating their head chef to a trip back home to Thailand, so he can be with his family whom he only gets to see once a year.
Nice: Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar in Bakersfield, California announced that it will be closed for two weeks to allow staff time off — including the head chef, who is going home to Thailand
Long time: When head chef Preeda Piamfa, 56, started working there in 2011, he had not been home to Thailand to see his wife and kids in 15 years
So generous: Owners Nick and Pum Hansa wanted to show Preeda that they are committed to him, so they close up shop and buy him a plane ticket home every year
Head chef Preeda Piamfa, 56, moved to the United States in the mid-90s. He left behind his family, including a wife and two children, and has been working to support them from across the globe.
In 2011, he had already been working in California for 15 years — and had not been home to see his wife and kids once in that time. But a new opportunity came along and changed that.
Nick Hansa and his wife Pum were opening Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar in Bakersfield, their first restaurant. They recruited Preeda, who had been making less than $3,000 a month at smaller Thai restaurants in the area, to be their head chef.
When he told the Hansas that he hadn’t seen his family in such a long time, they made a decision: They would close up the restaurant so he could have time off to head back home. And what’s more, they’d pay for his ticket.
The first time they told Preeda about the trip, he was ‘ecstatic’.
Heartwarming: The restaurant loses about $50,000 in revenue while being closed, but the owners believe it is worth it
Mandatory vacation! They pick the lowest-earning time of the year and everyone enjoys some time off
‘We made the decision from the start to commit to Preeda, and informed him we would close for two weeks a year and, yes, pay for his ticket,’ Nick told Daily Mail Online.
‘The first year was extremely fun,’ he went on, adding that Preeda was so excited to be back that he had to ship all the stuff he bought back to the US. ‘Over the past six years, Preeda has become a part of our family.’
Closing the entire restaurant is not without sacrifice for the Hansas. Though they choose two weeks in late summer to coincide with a county fair — when they have the lowest revenue — they still lose about $50,000 by shutting down. The vacation time is also paid for several of its 35 staff members.
But Nick said that its worth it to show a commitment to his employees, adding that it allows the ‘extremely close’ staff, many of whom are college students, time to relax and enjoy themselves.
Warm place to work: Nick told Daily Mail Online that the staff is close and like a family
Moving on up: Preeda had been making only about $3,000 a month at other local Thai restaurants before signing on
‘Although we lose some revenue, this policy has really cemented our relationship with our head chef, which we believe will keep stable staffing and assure our long term success,’ he said.
In the past, the restaurant has kept mostly quiet on the reason for the annual closing, but this year explained why they were on ‘vacation’ with a sign posted outside and on Facebook.
‘Our head chef is from Thailand, and every year we send him back to visit his family,’ the sign reads.
‘Prior to coming to work at Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar, he had not seen his family for 15 years, but when he joined The Noodle Bar Family, we wanted him to have the opportunity to see his fairly on a more regular basis.
‘We close this restaurant for two weeks every fall, in order for him to visit his family and recharge himself,’ the announcement goes on. ‘We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to having you visit us when his back and refreshed on October 4th!’
Keepign it up: Preeda was ‘ecstatic’ about the first trip and is now on his sixth visit home
Attention! The restaurant posted a sign about the closing that has gone viral
Not long after the sign went up, a local customer snapped a photo and shared it on Reddit, ensuring that it’s not just the locals who’ve learned of the restaurant’s good deed.
Hundreds of commenters have left words of encouragement and applauded the Chef’s Choice for the practice.
‘I would eat here for the sole fact that they care about their employees this much,’ one commenter wrote. Another added: ‘Very cool of the restaurant to realize how important family is and they give this opportunity to the head chef.’
‘I wanna be a part of the noodle bar family,’ said a third.