You know those stories that just make you pause for a second?

The ones where you realize life didn’t go according to plan…
but somehow ended up exactly where it was supposed to?

That’s this one.

I had the chance to sit down with Chef Emshika Alberini, owner of Chang Thai Café in Littleton, New Hampshire and I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect her story to stay with me the way it did.

But it did.

Because this isn’t just a story about opening a restaurant.

It’s a story about courage, risk, identity… and finding your place in the world.

I love asking people how they got started, and sometimes the answers are simple.

This one was not.

Emshika grew up in Bangkok and like a lot of young people, her path didn’t start with a restaurant in mind. In fact, the whole journey began with something much smaller:

A plane ride.

She came to the U.S. as an exchange student in 2000, not knowing that one connection one friendship would quietly shape the rest of her life.

Because sometimes, that’s how it happens.

Not with a big, dramatic moment.
But with a small decision that changes everything.

What I appreciated most about this conversation was how honest she was.

Because we talk a lot in this industry about success. About opening restaurants. About growth.

But we don’t always talk about what it takes to get there.

And Emshika didn’t skip over that.

Moving to a new country.
Building a life from scratch.
Figuring out who you are in a completely different place.

That’s not easy.

And yet, she did it.

Step by step.

At some point, food became the bridge.

And if you’re in this business, you know exactly what I mean.

Food is never just food.

It’s memory.
It’s comfort.
It’s culture.
It’s home.

For Emshika, bringing Thai food to Littleton wasn’t just about opening a restaurant.

It was about sharing a piece of where she came from — with people who may have never experienced it before.

And that’s powerful.

Because when you introduce people to something new, especially through food, you’re not just serving a meal.

You’re telling a story.

Think about this for a second.

You move from Bangkok… to a small town in New Hampshire… and decide to open a Thai restaurant.

That’s not the obvious move.

That’s not the easy move.

That’s the kind of move that requires belief.

Belief in your food.
Belief in your story.
And belief that people will show up.

And they did.

There’s something really beautiful about restaurants like hers.

Because they don’t come from a business plan first.

They come from something deeper.

They come from identity.

From wanting to create something real.

From wanting people to experience something authentic.

And you can feel that.

You can feel it in the way she talks about her food.
You can feel it in the pride.
You can feel it in the purpose behind it.

If there’s one thing that stood out to me in this conversation, it’s this:

Everything comes back to connection.

The friend she met on a plane.
The journey that brought her here.
The food that connects her past to her present.
The restaurant that connects her to her community.

It’s all connected.

And honestly, that’s what this podcast is all about.

We always say this is a show about food… and a little beyond.

And this episode really lives there.

Because yes, we talked about food.

But we also talked about taking risks.
Starting over.
Building something from nothing.
And trusting that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be — even if it didn’t start that way.

By the end of our conversation, I kept thinking about how unpredictable life really is.

How one decision — one trip, one conversation, one opportunity — can completely change your direction.

And how sometimes, the path you didn’t plan…
becomes the one that defines you.

If you’re ever up in Littleton, do yourself a favor and stop by Chang Thai Café.

Try something new.
Ask questions.
Experience it.

Because behind that plate of food…
there’s a story.

And now you know a little bit of it.

Thanks for listening to Beyond the Plate.

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ABOUT CAROL ERICKSON

Carol Erickson has owned Red Arrow Diner since 1987 -- four locations across New Hampshire, open 24/7. She started Beyond the Plate to tell the real stories behind the people who make New England's food and hospitality scene what it is. Not just what's on the menu. What's behind it.

Red Arrow Diner: redarrowdiner.com  |  @redarrow24diner