Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas Nguyen.
Thomas, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
We opened our first location at Vintage Park in April 2009. We had lost our loan, so we were barely able to open with investments from family and friends. The first year was extremely difficult and we almost closed on three separate occasions.
It also took some time for people to understand what our concept was about, and it took time for us to learn how to properly market South African cuisine to the community.
I was a former attorney and this was my first chance at becoming an entrepreneur and having my own business. I learned everything about the restaurant industry from Chef Paul Friedman and everything about business from Michael Tran, both of my partners in Peli Peli. Prior to this, I had never even worked in a restaurant and had absolutely zero restaurant experience. I also oversee marketing, branding and PR, yet I do not have any education or degree in any of those fields.
Today, we are ranked top 5 in Houston on both Tripadvisor & Yelp, have been featured on the Food Network and CNBC’s Restaurant Startup, recently won the People’s Choice Award from the Greater Houston Restaurant Association, and I am also a freelance food writer for the Houston Press. I won Entrepreneur of the Year from the Asian Chamber of Commerce and was a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year. I also made the list of 40 Under 40 from the Houston Business Journal in 2015.
The best part is I get to create experiences that actually make a difference in someone’s life. That gives the fulfillment I was always looking for in a career.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not. People were not as adventurous in 2009, and opening in the suburbs provided its challenges.
Also in 2009, the economy was still in recovery-mode and consumer spending was not strong. The shopping center where we were at was devastated by the recession, and it was a ghost town for the first 3 years we were there.
I was also a newbie to marketing, and it took me time to learn and adapt all while acting as the General Manager of our Vintage Park location from 2009-2012.
We didn’t have any money to market, so we had to do grassroots marketing and word-of-mouth. It took quite a while for us to get the traction that we needed. But it came finally in 2013.
Please tell us about Peli Peli Restaurant .
We specialize in creating happiness for our customers. Above all else including food and service. People I think really like us because they know what we are about as opposed to just being a typical restaurant.
I oversee all marketing, branding, PR and networking for Peli Peli, and I enjoy creating experiences that have a lasting impact in the community such as the two proms we are organizing this April. One is in Austin for the special needs students of Austin ISD, and the other is for the teens at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
I am proud that we are not afraid to march to the beat of our own drum, and we have created this amazing work culture that is allowing us to grow the way that we are. I used to think the company was just the three of us, but now, we have an entire Peli family.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My parents didn’t have a lot of money when I was young, but we were really happy together. My parents would always take us on a family vacation every year and my father would drive to save money.
Every year we took a trip somewhere and I’m so thankful that we did. I’ll never forget those vacations.
Pricing:
- Peli Peli is our fine-dining concept and dinner entrees are in the mid-$30’s
- Peli Peli Kitchen is our fast casual concept and everything is under $15
Contact Info:
- Locations:
Peli PelI Galleria – 5085 Westheimer (Galleria Mall)
Peli Peli Vintage Park – 110 Vintage Park Blvd, Houston, Texas 77070 (Hwy 249 & Louetta)
Peli Peli Kitchen – 9090 Katy Freeway (NE Corner of Campbell and I-10)
Peli Deli – Opening March 2017 at 808 Travis in the Esperson (1st floor above escalator)
Peli Peli Katy – Opening May 2017 at LaCenterra (Cinco Ranch Blvd & Grand Parkway) - Website: www.pelipeli.com
- Phone: 281-257-9500
- Email: thomas@pelipeli.com
- Instagram: peli_peli, pelipelikitchen
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/peligalleria, www.facebook.com/pelivintage, www.facebook.com/pelipelikitchen
- Twitter: @pelipeli
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/peli-peli-houston-5
- Other: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g56003-d7803095-Reviews-Peli_Peli_Galleria-Houston_Texas.html
Image Credit:
Chan Do, Ellie Sharp
