Community Highlights: Meet Tommy Srilom of PROUD THAI

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tommy Srilom.

Tommy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
As the head of my family, my biggest dream was to give my child a better education and a better future. That dream is what inspired me to study opportunities and eventually move to the United States to build a business here.

To make that decision, I left behind a comfortable life in Thailand and sold almost 90% of our business and assets in order to start over in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, when we first arrived, we were taken advantage of by people from our own country because of our lack of experience and understanding of how things worked here.

During the early days, almost all of the employees left, and my wife and I had to run the restaurant completely on our own. At one point, the business was making only around $1,400–$1,800 per day.We went through many difficult times, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even during those difficult moments, we always believed in helping the community. We partnered with a local hospital and opened our restaurant as a free COVID testing site for people in the neighborhood during the pandemic.

Step by step, through hard work, consistency, and support from the community, we were able to grow the restaurant into a successful business that now reaches around $4,000–$5,000 in daily sales.

One thing I strongly believe in is building a strong team culture. I train our employees to understand every position in the restaurant so everyone can help and replace one another when needed. We work together like family, support each other like brothers and sisters, and that has become one of the greatest strengths of our team and our business.

Alright, 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?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. In the beginning, my wife and I had to run the restaurant completely by ourselves after most employees left. We also faced many financial and operational challenges during COVID-19.

Despite everything, we continued supporting our community by partnering with a local hospital and opening our restaurant as a free COVID testing site. Through hard work, consistency, and strong teamwork, we were able to slowly grow the business into what it is today.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Proud Thai is a restaurant that focuses on authentic Thai comfort food with unique traditional flavors that are difficult to find elsewhere. We specialize in homemade dishes prepared fresh in our kitchen using our own recipes and techniques.

What makes us different is that many of our menu items are made completely in-house instead of being purchased pre-made from markets or suppliers. We take pride in preparing our food from scratch because we believe it creates better quality, better flavor, and a more authentic experience for our customers.

One of the things we are most proud of as a brand is our commitment to maintaining the true taste of Thai food while creating dishes that feel special and memorable for our guests.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
One of the most expensive lessons of my life was being deceived and taken advantage of by people from my own country after moving here. It affected not only my business, but also the stability and well-being of my family.

However, I never allowed those experiences to make me negative or give up. Instead, I learned to stay strong, continue moving forward, and see every challenge as an opportunity to grow. I still believe in giving people chances and treating others with kindness and respect. That mindset is something I am truly proud of.

Pricing:

• • Most individual meals range from approximately $14–$22 • Signature homemade dishes and traditional Thai specialties available daily • Freshly made menu items prepared in-house, not pre-made or store-bought • Catering trays available for office events, parties, and large groups • Custom catering options available based on group size and menu selection • Family-style portions and authentic Thai comfort food designed for sharing

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.proudthaila.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/proudthai2001
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583779528411