WHAT IS THAI SELECT?
Thai Select or Thai Select Premium certification identifies Thai restaurants that offer at least 60 percent authentic Thai food on their menus. They also imply that these restaurants employ the same or similar cooking methods as in Thailand, and may import ingredients from Thailand. The certifications, however, neither rates foods nor endorses any quality standard of the restaurant. They merely indicate authenticity of the Thai foods prepared.
THAI SELECT DURING COVID-19
Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, all restaurants, including Thai Select restaurants, have been negatively impacted. Restaurants can only serve customers who are taking food home or ordering delivery. Even with takeout and delivery, that may not be enough for restaurants to survive. This is a tough time for everyone, and for restaurants that are part of the Thai Select family, we'll be launching several COVID-19 Relief Programs to help restaurants during this time. Continue following along to learn how you can help your favorite Thai Select Restaurants during their time of need.
Here are some ways to help your local Thai Select restaurant:
- Call the restaurant directly (skip Uber Eats, Grub Hub, etc.) to place a takeout or delivery order. By calling the restaurant directly, they get to keep the profits instead of paying a 20-30% commission to delivery apps. Silicon Valley doesn't need your help, but local restaurants do!
- Tip your delivery person or the person taking your order. They're operating on a reduced scale, and tips will go a long way.
For Thai Select Restaurant Owners (and our fans), continue reading about the Thai Select COVID-19 Relief Programs, and learn how you can participate (or tell your favorite Thai Select Restaurant to join) to receive assistance.
As part of our initiative for Thai Select, we're working with 66 Thai Select certified restaurants to deliver 50-100 meals for free to the local heroes working in the top 10 areas with the most COVID cases.
Keep checking back to see how many meals we have delivered to date to the local heroes in our #ThaiFood4Heroes campaign.
We are collaborating with Thai Select chefs and influencers (who live in their state) to host Instagram or Facebook Live cooking segments, in which the influencer and Thai Select chef cook the same dish. The influencer (and fans at home) can try to create the same dish as the chef, however, there is a secret ingredient twist that the chef must use in their dish. If you're a Thai Select chef and you're interested, please contact Thai Select on Facebook or Instagram.
See below for the first one featuring The Dining Dolls and Chef June of Otus Thai Cafe.
KITCHEN QUARANTINE
Since Thai Select is the official “SEAL OF APPROVAL” for authentic Thai cuisine, we want to see what Thai Select Chefs can do while quarantined. To qualify, a Thai Select Restaurant owner or chef must submit a video (1 minute minimum) to the Thai Select Facebook page or the Thai Select USA Private Group of them cooking one of their favorite dishes in their own kitchen. This does not have to be professionally shot (iPhone/Samsung recording is preferred) as we just want to see your innovative way to cook Thai Select quality meals.
For qualified winners, we will purchase $500 worth of gift cards from your restaurant. The gift cards will be used in future social media sweepstakes for your customers to win and use for a later date.
- Pa De Thai - New Jersey
- Thai D-Jing - New Orleans, LA
- Luv 2 Eat Thai - Los Angeles, CA
- Marnee Thai - San Francisco, CA
- A Plus Thai - New York, NY
- Lao Table - San Francisco, CA
- Ziree Thai & Sushi Restaurant - Del Rey, FL
- Ayara Thai - Los Angeles, CA
- Thai Society Cafe -San Diego, CA
- Try Thai Restaurant and Sushi - Front Royal, VA
- Jitlada - Los Angeles, CA
- Somtum Der - New York City, NY.
- JJ Street Food - Chicago, IL
- Pinto Garden - New York City, NY
- Herb - Chicago, IL
- Ban Thai & Sushi - Clearwater, FL
- Thai House South Beach - Miami, FL
- Eat Thai Del Rey - Del Rey, FL
#TIMEFORTHAI
At the epicenter of many neighborhoods and community groups, restaurants are the heart. People eat, converse, and share memories at restaurants, and we need to do what we can to show our support for them during this tough time.
The first 30 restaurants submitting their videos or photo captions with the rules mentioned above are the winners! This is a first-come, first-serve basis. No judging involved.
- Baitong Thai - Washington State (multiple locations)
- Amazing Thai Uptown - Minneapolis, MN
- Bangkok Alley - Memphis, TN
- Ruenpair Thai Cuisine - Los Angeles, CA
- Siam Rice - Chicago, IL
- Silom 12 - Chicago, IL
- Thai Farm House Kitchen - San Francisco, CA
- Chopsticks Thai - Aurora, IL
- Kinnaree Thai Kitchen - Chicago, IL
- Otus Thai - Los Angeles, CA
- Issara Thai Cuisine - Huntington Beach, CA
- Im Aroi Thai Cuisine - Montebello, CA
- Senae Thai - Tucson, AZ
- Immm Rice & Beyond - Chicago, IL
- Singha 99 Street Food - Atlanta, GA
- Buddha Thai Bistro - Dobbs Ferry, NY
- Emporium Thai - LA, CA
- Appethaizing - Liverpool, NY
- Gao Kitchen - Ramsey, NJ
- Jimmy Thai / Ramen Time - Deerfield, IL
- Sukho Thai - New Orleans, LA
Keep following Thai Select USA on Facebook and Instagram to find out about our upcoming Live Cooking segments on social media. This will be an opportunity for you to cook alongside some of our Thai Select chefs, and how you can turn your household ingredients into Thai Select quality dish.
To find Thai Select restaurants in your area after you click the above button or here, do the following:
- Press alt (or command) and the F key
- A window on the top-hand right corner of the screen should appear
- In the window, type in your city to see if there is a Thai Select restaurant in your area.
If you don't see a Thai Select restaurant in your area, encourage your Thai restaurant owners/managers to apply for a Thai Select certification by visiting the Thai Select website here.
Credits:
Created with an image by Gareth Harrison - "untitled image"