Chef Thana draws on Japaneseexperience to grow food enterprise

Thana, who owns the whoosh cafe near downtown Coleraine, had to find options to grow her sales and boost sales that would make her small business more resilient to further restrictions.

The post-lockdown social distancing rules have resulted in Whoosh being severely restricted in terms of indoor seating, and this has shifted the balance of their highly regarded restaurant towards predominantly takeout service. There is also no real one

Space for outdoor seating.

The new Japanese bento boxes developed with Whoosh from Foodovation in Derry

Influenced by her experience in Japan, Thana decided to develop traditional bento boxes with compartments to separate parts of the meal for transport and preparation.

The dedicated cook asked the Foodovation team at the North West Regional College (NWRC) in Derry for advice and support for her project. Foodovation supports food and beverage companies in the development of new products and other innovations with the support of programs such as the Innovation Vouchers from Invest Northern Ireland and InnovateUK

Thana explains: “We have been developing new food products for some time and, with the help and guidance of Foodovation, were able to complete our range of bento box meals for customers to pick up in the café and warm up at home.

“The main focus of the project was on nutritional values. Foodovation’s experience and expertise has helped us a lot in speeding up the nutritional process of our bento meals. We also received guidelines on food safety and hygiene through HACCP and labeling.

Entrepreneurial Chef Thana Thammavongsa from Whoosh in Coleraine

“All of this enabled us to continue our day-to-day operations while completing a new range of products. Knowing that we are working with an experienced team at Foodovation definitely gave us a lot of security, ”Thana adds.

Whoosh started as an event caterer in Coleraine in 2008 and specialized in fine Thai and Vietnamese food for corporate and private customers across Northern Ireland.

“Starting a company on a tight budget was one of the greatest challenges of my life,” recalls Thana. “But one of the best experiences. I love what I do and do what I love, ”she adds.

Thana, a graduate of Ulster University at Coleraine, has a real passion for food and catering and uses only the freshest ingredients to create healthy, tasty, nutritious, high quality foods. Her highly original dishes contain a delicious balance of delicate flavors and textures that allow her customers to enjoy fine dining and healthy eating.

Before the pandemic, Whoosh had hosted events and events of varying sizes at various venues across Northern Ireland. In the first few years of operation, the company built an enormous portfolio of corporate and private customers and continued to attract customers from all areas.

In February 2013, Thana switched to hospitality by realizing a long-cherished dream of running her own restaurant with the opening of the Whoosh Thai and Vietnamese Street Food Café in Coleraine.

“The cafe near the town square gave me the opportunity to introduce the public here to the Thai and Vietnamese cuisine that I had enjoyed earlier in my life and that I still loved on my frequent visits to the general public. At Whoosh we love to eat, we love to cook! When we don’t eat or cook, we think about food, we dream about food … Thai and Vietnamese food, ”she laughs.

The food, she continues, is freshly prepared on site every day.

“Our menu stands for fresh, healthy, spontaneous and delicious fast food, served in a casual atmosphere or ideal for warming up at home or as a snack on the go.

“Our unique menu consists of a mix of Thai, Lao and Vietnamese dishes that strike a great balance of subtle flavors and textures for great food and healthy eating. The dishes on our menu are light, fresh, low in fat, but above all – cooked from the heart, ”adds Thana.

The coronavirus pandemic prompted Thana to focus the distinctive café more on on-demand and collective dishes to warm up and enjoy at home.

The takeaway food has been designed so that customers can heat and serve meals with the authenticity and convenience of whoosh foods.

The bento box style allows for a meal made up of segments with protein, carbohydrates, vegetables and sauces / condiments, making for a fresh meal.

NWRC Technical Advisor Karen Marran provided Thana with a wide range of expertise, including training in recipe standardization, ingredient declarations, allergen identification, nutritional calculations and labeling requirements, reheating instructions, and home storage instructions.

source https://dailyhealthynews.ca/chef-thana-draws-on-japaneseexperience-to-grow-food-enterprise/