The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce is pleased to shine a spotlight on Chef Tai Au in our Community Proud series, sponsored by Charter Oak Credit Union. As the chef and co-owner of Pink Basil, Bleu Ginger, The Spice Club, and The Spot Cafe, Tai has built a successful career by bringing people together through food. She owns the restaurants alongside her husband, Ricky, whose constant support and partnership have been an important part of their shared success. At the heart of Tai’s story is a deep commitment to kindness, generosity, and the community she has called home for more than 20 years.

Tai grew up in a small farming town in Thailand as one of nine children. In her family, hard work, kindness, and sharing were part of everyday life. Those early experiences shaped the way Tai approaches her family, her businesses, and her role in the community today. “Food has always been my love language,” Tai said. “I believe that a good meal can create friendships, celebrate milestones, and make even an ordinary day feel special.”

While most people know Tai as a chef and restaurant owner, her professional journey began in a very different field. Tai studied accounting before moving to the United States and eventually following her heart back to cooking. She also studied in Japan through a Thai Government scholarship when she was younger. That experience taught her independence and gave her the confidence to dream beyond her small hometown.

Once Tai entered the restaurant industry, she quickly discovered that hospitality was about far more than preparing and serving meals. To her, restaurants are places where people gather, celebrate, connect, and create memories. Every person who walks through the door is an opportunity to make someone feel welcome and brighten their day.

Alongside Ricky, Tai has continued to grow their restaurant businesses while creating welcoming spaces where guests and employees feel valued. Ricky has been a steady source of encouragement throughout their journey. He supports Tai’s vision, shares the responsibilities of business ownership, and helps their restaurants remain an active part of the local community.

Over time, Tai’s role has grown well beyond the kitchen. She has become a mentor, employer, community partner, and supporter of local organizations. Although she is grateful for the awards and recognition she has received, the accomplishments that mean the most to her are often the personal ones. Tai takes great pride in helping members of her team grow, particularly young employees who develop into confident professionals and future leaders. She also treasures hearing from guests who have made her restaurants part of their family traditions. Tai said those moments mean everything to her.

Tai believes trust is built through honesty, consistency, kindness, and a willingness to listen. She enjoys speaking with guests, remembering their names, hearing their stories, and learning from their feedback. She does not expect perfection, but she remains committed to improving and ensuring people know that she genuinely cares. As Tai explained, relationships are built one conversation at a time.

That care extends throughout southeastern Connecticut. Tai has supported local Chambers of Commerce, schools, youth programs, nonprofit fundraisers, and community events. She frequently donates food, sponsors local initiatives, and contributes cooking classes and dining experiences to charitable auctions and fundraisers. For Tai, philanthropy is an extension of the values she learned as a child. “I was raised to believe that if you’re fortunate enough to have something, you should share it,” she said. “Success means very little if it only benefits yourself.”

Tai views giving back as an investment in the people and organizations that have supported her. She is especially grateful when she can use food to bring people together in support of an important cause. “I never see it as giving something away,” she said. “I see it as investing in the people who have supported me.”

Southeastern Connecticut has been Tai’s home for more than two decades. It is where she and Ricky have built their businesses, where their son is growing up, and where customers have become friends and friends have become family. The community welcomed Tai while she was building a new life in America, and its support continues to inspire her. “Home isn’t just where you live,” Tai said. “It’s where people care about one another.”

Tai finds daily inspiration in people who work hard, remain humble, and make an effort to lift others up. Her family, son, employees, and customers motivate her to keep learning, improving, and dreaming bigger. She is also passionate about helping other people grow, whether that means mentoring an employee, supporting a small business owner, or encouraging someone who is pursuing a dream of their own.

Outside of work, Tai enjoys spending time with her son, playing tennis, sailing, skiing, gardening, traveling, and gathering with family and friends. She loves cooking with vegetables grown in her garden and trying new restaurants whenever she travels. Even while on vacation, she can often be found photographing dishes and asking chefs questions about their food. As Tai said, “Once you’re a chef, you never really stop being one.”

Growing up with eight siblings gave Tai some of her earliest leadership experience. It also taught her how to handle a very large family dinner, a skill that has served her well throughout her career.

Tai credits her success to the many people who have supported her along the way. She is especially grateful to Ricky for being her partner in business and in life and for standing beside her throughout their journey. She is also deeply thankful for her family, loyal customers, and the employees who work beside her every day. Tai extends special gratitude to the Sang family and the Lech family, who have supported her since she first arrived in America.

Tai is grateful for the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, the Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce, and the many local nonprofits, schools, and organizations that work to make southeastern Connecticut a welcoming and connected community.

Being recognized through the Community Proud series is especially meaningful to Tai because it celebrates the values she holds most closely. “It reminds me that kindness, hard work, and community matter just as much as business success,” she said. “I don’t volunteer or give back to receive recognition. I do it because I genuinely love this community.”

Chef Tai Au’s story is one of courage, hospitality, gratitude, and generosity. From a small farming town in Thailand to becoming a successful chef and business owner in southeastern Connecticut, she has remained guided by the belief that what we have is meant to be shared. With Ricky by her side, Tai continues to give back through every meal served, employee mentored, fundraiser supported, and relationship formed.

The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Chef Tai Au and thank her for helping make our community a more welcoming, generous, and connected place.