My parents immigrated to the United States from Thailand in the early 80s.

They worked several jobs until they were able to open up their very own restaurant in 1990. When we first opened, we were among 2 total Thai restaurants in the city. By the time we closed our doors, there had been over 10 competing businesses in our small town and hundreds more in surrounding cities.

My sisters and I’s childhoods were spent behind the tall counters of the restaurant with cooks and waitresses as our aunts and uncles. The restaurant fed us and sent all three generations of daughters to school in its 18 years of business.

Why it opened, how it succeeded and how it fell short are all part of why my purpose now is to champion small businesses.

A woman holding a baby and standing next to a young girl in front of a shelf with wine bottles. There is a floral arrangement in the foreground.
Person sitting on a folding chair outdoors, making a peace sign, holding food, next to another chair with a drink.
Group of children in traditional costumes posing in front of adults at a dining table indoors.
Empty restaurant with tables set for dining, featuring white tablecloths and folded napkins, with brown chairs.
Street view with signs for Amarin Thai Cuisine and Zorba's Pizza, trees lining the road, American flag on a building, parked cars, and a person walking.

So it was that food, identity, and community will always be interconnected for me.

Values:

  • A majority of the most profitable restaurants are backed with well-funded hospitality groups, seasoned industry-insiders and business-savvy marketing teams. With an appetite to do things differently—Akitso exists to bridge the gap between immigrant-owned food businesses and access to growth.

  • Our goals and strategies are set up to create longer-lasting stability for the business and and its operator whose livelihoods and wellbeing depend on it.

  • Inspired by the interactions of identity, culture and community – akitso’s approach to concept redevelopment is motivated by the opportunity for collaborative community care, beauty/creative expression, and genuine cultural exchange.

    Let’s tell deeper stories through food.

A woman smiling outdoors on a street, wearing a black sweater, with a blurred background.

Hi, I’m Anna — daughter of an immigrant restaurant owner deeply passionate about helping small businesses standout and succeed in today’s hyper-competitive culinary landscape. With a background in branding and design, my approach is about sharing deeper stories with food.