One of the silver linings of this so called “pause” these last few months has been the opportunity to try dinner to go from new to us restaurants - one being Siam Thai! Spoiler alert - we loved it (so much so that we’ve already ordered a second time since this meal!). We chatted with General Manager Brian Kozelouzek to find out how they’ve adapted to this changing world - be sure to read to the end for your chance to win a $20 gift card to Siam Thai!
On Overcoming Challenges
Our greatest challenge since the beginning of the pandemic has been not knowing exactly what we should expect. It has made planning and preparing tricky, to say the least. It has been far from business as usual. With a staff reduced by 85 percent, a dinner service that typically goes from 3:30-9:30pm that is now a mad dash to finish orders that are similar in volume but all take place from 4:30-6:30, a much larger customer base with patrons who are not familiar with our menu, and the well founded fears many people have expressed has made this an unforgettable experience.
On Evolving
The average work day now barely resembles what it was prior to the pandemic. All but 2 hours of the day are really about prep work and setting ourselves up for success. In the past Siam Thai Sushi has always had a very strong to-go business, but it was a distant second to our polished casual dine-in experience. Now we’ve added curbside, a well coordinated time call system for orders placed in advance, and for a short time even delivery. We have had to make the entire process that we were already proud of even more efficient. Knowing our menu simply has not been enough, the staff has had to be knowledgeable enough to explain Thai and Japanese cuisine to patrons with no prior experience ordering these types of dishes.
On the Bright Side
This hasn’t been all bad, just different. The staff that stayed on during the pandemic has bonded and learned to work together seamlessly. They all work side by side almost every day from open to close and as a result they all respect each other’s commitment and ability in a way they never could have. We like to think we did a great job before this... now everyone is so sharp and accustomed to a work load we never thought we could or would need to handle. We are also grateful to have had the opportunity to share our food with members of the community who were new to the STS experience.
On the Future
We have learned the importance of being flexible and adapting. We are so impressed by the level of commitment of every restaurant in town. The bar has forever been raised by everyone out-doing each other and looking for a way to offer our community more. More safety, more speed, more convenience and more ... well, patience. Restaurants that can change their entire menu, staff and strategies at a moments notice will stick around.
Brian Kozelouzek, General Manager
Special thanks to Glen Street Associates for making this story possible.
Glen Street Associates develops, owns and manages multifamily, commercial, office, and hospitality properties in Warren, Washington, and Saratoga Counties. With an appreciation of the history of downtown Glens Falls, Peter Hoffman, along with his wife Suzanne, have restored several downtown buildings (like the one in which Siam Thai resides, for example!), adding the modern updates needed to create professional office space that is attracting tenants to the City. Check out their commercial and residential offerings here!
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