{"id":45,"date":"2026-09-27T23:16:48","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T23:16:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging-welcome-121a408.netsolhost.com\/?page_id=45"},"modified":"2026-09-27T23:29:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T23:29:56","slug":"maothai-e-pluribus-unum","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/maothai.com\/?page_id=45","title":{"rendered":"E pluribus unum"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a class=\"skip\" href=\"#content\">Skip to content<\/a><\/p>\n<header class=\"hero \" style=\"--cover:url('assets\/3a2c3911bfe747.jpg')\">\n<div class=\"top\">\n<div class=\"heading\">\n<h1>E pluribus unum<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"identity\">\n<p class=\"brand-story\">The Story of a Group of Thai Restaurants in Berlin and Palma<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"brand\" href=\"index.html\">THAI FOOD MAGIC<br \/>MAOTHAI<\/a><\/p>\n<nav class=\"language-switch\" aria-label=\"Language\"><a href=\"e-pluribus-unum-de.html\" hreflang=\"de\" lang=\"de\">DE<\/a><a href=\"e-pluribus-unum.html\" hreflang=\"en\" lang=\"en\" aria-current=\"true\">ENG<\/a><a href=\"e-pluribus-unum-es.html\" hreflang=\"es\" lang=\"es\">ES<\/a><a href=\"e-pluribus-unum-th.html\" hreflang=\"th\" lang=\"th\">THAI<\/a><a href=\"e-pluribus-unum-ja.html\" hreflang=\"ja\" lang=\"ja\">JAP<\/a><\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"intro\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"hero-bottom\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Main navigation\"><a href=\"story.html\" aria-current=\"page\">STORY<\/a><a href=\"restaurants.html\">THE RESTAURANTS<\/a><a href=\"thai-food.html\">THAI FOOD<\/a><a href=\"people.html\">PEOPLE<\/a><a href=\"press.html\">PRESS COVERAGE<\/a><a href=\"establishing.html\">ESTABLISHING THAI AS INTERNATIONAL CUISINE<\/a><a href=\"videos.html\">VIDEOS<\/a><a href=\"print-shop.html\">PRINT SHOP<\/a><a href=\"contact.html\">NEWS &amp; CONTACT<\/a><\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p><main id=\"content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"breadcrumb\"><a href=\"index.html\">PROLOG<\/a><span>\/<\/span><a href=\"story.html\">BERLIN AFTER THE WALL<\/a><span>\/<\/span><span>E pluribus unum<\/span><\/div>\n<article class=\"prose\">\n<p>All the restaurants of the Maothai group shared a common symbol, found at their entrance: the Chofah. It resembles a stylised bird&#8217;s head and is part and symbol of the Indian mythical bird deity Garuda \u2014 in Thai, krut \u2014 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.<\/p>\n<p>One from many \u2014 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, &#8220;Fine Thai Cuisine&#8221; also appeared on the facades of other Asian restaurants in combination with their respective national cuisines.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>While the Maothai on W\u00f6rther Stra\u00dfe 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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>The Thai cuisine of Maothai endured above all thanks to all those who dedicated themselves to it wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"curated-stammhaus\">\n<section class=\"gallery-chapter\">\n<h2>Signs of identity<\/h2>\n<div class=\"curated-grid\" data-count=\"3\">\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/3a2c3911bfe747.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Maothai logo \u00b7 1993\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/3a2c3911bfe747.jpg\" alt=\"Maothai logo \u00b7 1993\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Maothai logo \u00b7 1993<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/e8d928b49992a9.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Maothai \u00b7 Garuda emblem \u00b7 2003\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/e8d928b49992a9.jpg\" alt=\"Maothai \u00b7 Garuda emblem \u00b7 2003\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Maothai \u00b7 Garuda emblem \u00b7 2003<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/ati-thaiperu-maskottchen.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"ATI ThaiPeru mascot \u00b7 2014\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/ati-thaiperu-maskottchen.jpg\" alt=\"ATI ThaiPeru mascot \u00b7 2014\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>ATI ThaiPeru mascot \u00b7 2014<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"gallery-chapter\">\n<h2>Different places, one story<\/h2>\n<div class=\"curated-grid\" data-count=\"3\">\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/c04cbd97b9c5d5.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Detail at Kamala\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/c04cbd97b9c5d5.jpg\" alt=\"Detail at Kamala\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Detail at Kamala<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/9254fcd5889fb6.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Kleiner Drachen in the Nikolaiviertel\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/9254fcd5889fb6.jpg\" alt=\"Kleiner Drachen in the Nikolaiviertel\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Kleiner Drachen in the Nikolaiviertel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/fd4b7b30b8a337.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Tuans H\u00fctte\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/fd4b7b30b8a337.jpg\" alt=\"Tuans H\u00fctte\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Tuans H\u00fctte<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"gallery-chapter\">\n<h2>Buddha figures<\/h2>\n<div class=\"curated-grid\" data-count=\"3\">\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/bb48a568080a88.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Buddha at Maothai\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/bb48a568080a88.jpg\" alt=\"Buddha at Maothai\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Buddha at Maothai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/8aac6919a1b0b7.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Seated Buddha at ISSAAN\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/8aac6919a1b0b7.jpg\" alt=\"Seated Buddha at ISSAAN\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Seated Buddha at ISSAAN<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/e173fef124b75c.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Walking Buddha at ISSAAN\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/e173fef124b75c.jpg\" alt=\"Walking Buddha at ISSAAN\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Walking Buddha at ISSAAN<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"gallery-chapter\">\n<h2>The journey of the wood carvings<\/h2>\n<div class=\"curated-grid\" data-count=\"3\">\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/c067904bfe8c63.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Antique shop owner in Chiang Rai \u00b7 1992\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/c067904bfe8c63.jpg\" alt=\"Antique shop owner in Chiang Rai \u00b7 1992\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Antique shop owner in Chiang Rai \u00b7 1992<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/26757c8951a0a0.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"The large wood carving in storage\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/26757c8951a0a0.jpg\" alt=\"The large wood carving in storage\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>The large wood carving in storage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/69c55ebcaca189.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Wood carving: music as Buddha enters Nirvana \u00b7 5.5 metres\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/69c55ebcaca189.jpg\" alt=\"Wood carving: music as Buddha enters Nirvana \u00b7 5.5 metres\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Wood carving: music as Buddha enters Nirvana \u00b7 5.5 metres<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"gallery-chapter\">\n<h2>Carved details<\/h2>\n<div class=\"curated-grid\" data-count=\"3\">\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/c18ea6426a69e5.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Detail of the wood carving\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/c18ea6426a69e5.jpg\" alt=\"Detail of the wood carving\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Detail of the wood carving<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/101ea9d7975bd8.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Stele with a scene from the Ramayana\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/101ea9d7975bd8.jpg\" alt=\"Stele with a scene from the Ramayana\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Stele with a scene from the Ramayana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/70fc31b319722b.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Detail of the Ramayana stele\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/70fc31b319722b.jpg\" alt=\"Detail of the Ramayana stele\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Detail of the Ramayana stele<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<details class=\"gallery-archive\">\n<summary>More from the archive \u00b7 8<\/summary>\n<div class=\"curated-grid\">\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/a48fec1de66652.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Kamala logo \u00b7 1994\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/a48fec1de66652.jpg\" alt=\"Kamala logo \u00b7 1994\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Kamala logo \u00b7 1994<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/170df958707356.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Tuans H\u00fctte logo \u00b7 1997\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/170df958707356.jpg\" alt=\"Tuans H\u00fctte logo \u00b7 1997\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Tuans H\u00fctte logo \u00b7 1997<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/e91cb546de62ca.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"ISSAN logo \u00b7 1999\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/e91cb546de62ca.jpg\" alt=\"ISSAN logo \u00b7 1999\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>ISSAN logo \u00b7 1999<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/0b1908fa76be9c.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"ISSAAN logo \u00b7 2013\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/0b1908fa76be9c.jpg\" alt=\"ISSAAN logo \u00b7 2013\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>ISSAAN logo \u00b7 2013<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/9f8ac17176c3fd.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Maothai am Fasanenplatz \u00b7 2013\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/9f8ac17176c3fd.jpg\" alt=\"Maothai am Fasanenplatz \u00b7 2013\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Maothai am Fasanenplatz \u00b7 2013<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/03fd615417e78c.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Maothai restaurant group flyer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/03fd615417e78c.jpg\" alt=\"Maothai restaurant group flyer\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Maothai restaurant group flyer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/0a43a761ab2e5c.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"Buddha \u00b7 Soulignon\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/0a43a761ab2e5c.jpg\" alt=\"Buddha \u00b7 Soulignon\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>Buddha \u00b7 Soulignon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure><a href=\"assets\/ee0dd7c5ca7939.jpg\" data-gallery-image aria-label=\"The antique shop in Chiang Rai\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"assets\/ee0dd7c5ca7939.jpg\" alt=\"The antique shop in Chiang Rai\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><figcaption>The antique shop in Chiang Rai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n<p><dialog class=\"image-viewer\" aria-label=\"Image viewer\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"viewer-close\">Close \u00d7<\/button><\/p>\n<figure><img alt=\"\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"viewer-controls\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"viewer-prev\" aria-label=\"Previous image\">\u2190<\/button><span class=\"viewer-count\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/span><button type=\"button\" class=\"viewer-next\" aria-label=\"Next image\">\u2192<\/button><\/div>\n<p><a class=\"viewer-original\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Open original image \u2197<\/a><\/dialog><\/p>\n<details class=\"section-menu\">\n<summary>More in this chapter<\/summary>\n<div class=\"chapter-index\"><a href=\"berlin-after-the-wall.html\"><span>2.1<\/span><strong>BERLIN AFTER THE WALL<\/strong><\/a><a href=\"mayday-maothai.html\"><span>2.3<\/span><strong>Mayday Maothai 1994<\/strong><\/a><a href=\"mayday-kamala.html\"><span>2.4<\/span><strong>Mayday Kamala 1994<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/details>\n<div class=\"sequence\"><a href=\"berlin-after-the-wall.html\">\u2190 BERLIN AFTER THE WALL<\/a><a href=\"mayday-maothai.html\">Mayday Maothai 1994 \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n<p><\/main><\/p>\n<footer><a href=\"index.html\">THAI FOOD MAGIC \u00b7 MAOTHAI<\/a><span>Berlin &amp; Palma \u00b7 A personal archive<\/span><a href=\"#\">Back to top \u2191<\/a><\/footer>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Skip to content E pluribus unum The Story of a Group of Thai Restaurants in Berlin and Palma THAI FOOD MAGICMAOTHAI DEENGESTHAIJAP STORYTHE RESTAURANTSTHAI FOODPEOPLEPRESS COVERAGEESTABLISHING THAI AS INTERNATIONAL CUISINEVIDEOSPRINT SHOPNEWS &amp; CONTACT PROLOG\/BERLIN AFTER THE WALL\/E pluribus unum All the restaurants of the Maothai group shared a common symbol, found at their entrance: the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-45","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/maothai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/45","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/maothai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/maothai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maothai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maothai.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=45"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/maothai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/45\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":296,"href":"https:\/\/maothai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/45\/revisions\/296"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/maothai.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=45"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}