Key Takeaways

Saesue and Suansilphong accelerated their expansion by hiring chefs and managers who complemented their skills.

The 55 Hospitality team scans every review for patterns and improvements.

When Jenn Saesue and Chat Suansilphong opened Fish Cheeks in New York City in 2015, their aim was to showcase seafood-forward Thai cuisine — dishes they loved from home but rarely saw in New York.

“There were a lot of Thai restaurants with the same kind of menu… noodles, fried rice, curry. Not so much about seafood. So we were like, okay, that’s a huge void right there that we can definitely fill,” Saesue says.

Perfecting the concept meant constant trial and error. “A lot of talking, a lot of eating, a lot of tasting, a lot of going shopping,” Suansilphong says. “The ingredients we ha

See Full Page