Today we’d like to introduce you to Piti.
Hi Piti, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was an EMT at the time. I was looking for hands-on experience. I wanted to be in the field, helping people, learning through action and using that as a stepping stone toward a career in healthcare. But every time I had time off from responding to 911 calls, I found myself back in Santa Barbara, hanging around my parents’ Thai restaurant. When they ran into a tough stretch, I took a leave, thinking I’d help out for a few months. Just enough to get them through. Next thing I know, I’m sweating over a stove and getting weirdly obsessed with ice cream. Playing with flavors, chasing that perfect texture. And that’s when it hit me. THIS IS IT. This is what I love. So I stayed.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Hell no, it wasn’t smooth. Not even close. I didn’t go to culinary school, never had any formal training. My mom taught me the fundamentals, but after that, it was all trial and error. Mostly error. Batches came out too icy, too soft, too weird.. I’d tweak, test and fail again. But that’s the game. You keep pushing until one day, it lands. And suddenly, it all feels like it mattered.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Creaminal?
Creaminal is our ice cream shop in Santa Barbara, rooted in childhood memories and Asian-American flavors. We make everything from scratch, in small batches, with flavors like roasted barley tea, mango sticky rice, and Thai tea Oreo. Familiar, but unexpected.
Every Saturday night we host No Sad Sundaes, our after-hours ice cream social. It’s part weekly ritual, part creative outlet. We serve three to four limited-run sundaes, one night only. It’s loud, it’s fun. It’s become one of our favorite things we do.
We also have scoops and pints available on other days too.
Creaminal is personal. It started with flavors we missed, moments we wanted to bring back, and the idea that dessert could be a space for joy, community, and culture. It’s not just about what’s in the cup. It’s the story behind it.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My wife, Kathy Dao, is the quiet force behind Creaminal. So many of our flavors start with her, her stories, her cravings, her memories of childhood sweets that never left her. She’s the one I turn to when an idea’s half-baked, when a flavor needs grounding, or when I just need someone to say, “yes, that’s the one.”
She brings balance. While I chase big ideas, she keeps the wheels turning. Late nights, last-minute changes, the chaos no one sees, she’s there, steady, making sure it all happens. She’s the reason things taste the way they do and feel the way they feel. And a lot of what people love about Creaminal traces back to her influence, even if they don’t realize it.
Pricing:
- $6.50 lil scoop
- $8.75 big scoop
- $13 pint
- $11-13 for a sundae
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.eatcreaminal.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/eatcreaminal
Image Credits
Piti Sukavivatanachai, Ryan Mayo, Cher Martinez, Carlos Ramirez
