Ways of Seeing is a project that aims to give insight into these often subtle and untold stories.
IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK
Tuk
Thailand
Satang Thai Cafe and Restaurant
Year: 2022 Photographer: Luke Shadbolt Words: Tim Boreham
You know you’ve stumbled across a local favourite when the moment you enter, someone recommends their favourite hot drink or dish on the menu. This kind of customer loyalty often takes years to build, so at first, it’s hard to believe that Satang-Thai has only been open for just over a year—a year hit hard by a pandemic, resulting in a complete overhaul of how the hospitality industry operates. But once you meet the warm and funny owner Tuck, you can understand why it didn’t take long for her to build a loyal following. The walls are colourful, the service is personal, and Tuck says that it’s important for the business to reflect her Thai values. ‘After all,’ she says, ‘Thailand is the land of smiles and society is built on respect for each other.’
Tuk and her husband’s hard work through that first tough year of takeaway is now paying off, with a return to normal dine-in service. Whether you’re after a classic cafe breakfast and coffee or some of the most authentic Thai food in the region, Satang has a lot to offer locals, as well as the crowds that filter through on the busy weekends. After spending her early career working in the commerce sector for tourism giant Agoda, Tuk decided as a new mother, she wanted to spend more time with her family and joined her husband in the family restaurant business.
Soon after, Tuk decided to open a new restaurant with an Australian cafe-style influence in the heart of the Woy Woy, just beyond the Fishermen’s Wharf waterfront. Tuck and her family might be new to the area, but it has taken them no time at all to be embraced by the local community and their loyal customers, all of whom look forward to what will surely be a bright future for Satang Cafe.
In There Own Words
How did you choose Woy Woy for your next location?
I used to live in Sydney so I liked the idea of being close to Sydney again but still far away enough to be a little quieter. Not a big city, but also not a tiny town, it is somewhere in between, so I decided Woy Woy was a good spot.
Tell me about where you grew up and about life before Satang Thai cafe?
I grew up in Nonthaburi just next to Bangkok. It’s a big city, similar to Sydney. I graduated with my bachelor degree in Thailand and after graduation came to Australia to study some more. I spent my early twenties going back and forth between Australia and Thailand and was working for DHL as an office manager. I then decided to study my masters in Accounting in Australia and ended up working for Qantas for a few years before going back to Thailand and eventually working for Agoda. It was during that time my husband and his brother decided to open a Thai restaurant in Charmhaven on the Central Coast of Australia…I eventually decided to leave my job and help at the restaurant along with looking after our son, then the idea came to open up another location, a lot smaller and something easier to manage.
“I see different cultures everyday in this area, I think it is just normal, just expected that we are all different but also all the same.”
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How has the community support been?
Especially considering you opened right when COVID hit? In the beginning it was very hard, I didn’t know anybody. The good thing is I opened every day and over time I met more and more locals who came and supported us. I have found the community very helpful and very kind. Now we are one year old at the shop and I now know so many people and I love our daily chats. I have people from all over that have really supported us through COVID and have become good friends. Some people come every morning and some even come three times a day.
What do you think different cultures can bring to an area?
I think this is a very multicultural area and we all work well together… I feel nowadays with television and the social media it really has combined all cultures, almost as one. I see different cultures everyday in this area, I think it is just normal, just expected that we are all different but also all the same. Everyone is kind.
How important is your Thai culture to you and how does it reflect in your business?
Thailand is the land of smiles. Every Thai restaurant you visit, you will see a big smile. And our culture is very strict and means we must be very polite and gentle to people and respect each other. I think that shows in our business because people keep coming back here because they are experiencing this Thai culture. Also Thai culture is all about big families so I really believe in welcoming the whole family into our restaurant.
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We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, work and play. We pay our respects to the Elders, past, present and emerging and recognise their continued connection to these lands and waterways. We acknowledge our shared responsibility to care for and protect our place and people.
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