Expat Insights: Owning a Restaurant in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 30]

A common dream for many expats in Thailand is to open their
own bar or restaurant. Ed interviews Matthew Fischer, a local
restaurateur and bar owner, who has successfully started two bars
in Bangkok - Fatty's on Rama IX, and the Fat Tap off of Ekkamai.
Matthew recounts the trials and tribulations that took Fatty's
from a mere whisper of an idea to a six-year Bangkok
institution.


But it certainly ain't for everyone - Matthew's tale is a
cautionary one. Long hours in the kitchen, the stress of finding
the right location, and the complications of working with your
partner all present real (but surmountable) obstacles. Even with
his success, he insists that bars are bad as pure investments -
but there is a bright side: foreigners with a true passion
can succeed at starting their own bar or
restaurant in Thailand.


Matthew has taken his Wisconsin cuisine of burgers and
beers (and lots of cheese) and transplanted it to the other side
of the world, giving Thais, expats, and tourists the taste of
real, homegrown American food, all at a reasonable price. If you
want to follow in Matthew's path, just get ready to sweat.
:)


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