All the restaurants of the Maothai group shared a common symbol, found at their entrance: the Chofah. It resembles a stylised bird's head and is part and symbol of the Indian mythical bird deity Garuda — in Thai, krut — which mediates between heaven and earth and culturally connects all of Southeast Asia. As a roof finial, it crowns the temple roofs of Thailand and the palaces of the Thai royal family. Its understated elegance symbolises the deepest and most beautiful essence of this country. It appears in modified form in the logo of the first Maothai restaurant, and in a different form again in the brand mark of 2003. And our Buddhas. Just as Buddhism shapes the nature of Thailand, they too conveyed a sense of calm and reassurance to our guests.
One from many — this applied equally to the dishes served in all the restaurants in the same manner and to the same standard, prepared with the finest fresh ingredients by skilled chefs. Guests could enjoy the coconut soup with chicken or the Pad Thai noodles in all the restaurants with consistent quality and virtually identical flavour. They were prepared in all restaurants with fresh herbs and vegetables from Thailand, and became the very embodiment of the highest culinary quality. In the early days, Maothai imported essential fresh vegetables and herbs directly from Thailand. Before long, "Fine Thai Cuisine" also appeared on the facades of other Asian restaurants in combination with their respective national cuisines.
Another characteristic was shared by all the restaurants in the group: they were built to a high standard of construction. The fitting out of the kitchens in particular involved considerable cost.
While the Maothai on Wörther Straße came to over 650,000 euros in total, each restaurant ultimately cost between 1,500 and 2,000 euros per square metre of restaurant floor space.
Not least for the team: our chefs came exclusively from Thailand, as did most of the waiting staff; the restaurant managers came from Laos; kitchen assistants and other staff from Germany, Vietnam and Mongolia.
The Thai cuisine of Maothai endured above all thanks to all those who dedicated themselves to it wholeheartedly.
