Sabai dee - Hello!
Viengkham (Theam) Singhalath (our Chef and Operations Manager) was born and raised in Laos. She came to the United States in 2002 after graduating with a 4-year degree in Forestry and Agriculture. She has several years of experience in the Columbus Asian Restaurant scene and is well known in the Columbus Laos community. She has been a chef, prepped food, handled food inventory, and managed kitchen staff, and schedules. She is an Operations Manager at a well-known manufacturer in Columbus.
John Gagnon (our Business Manager) has lived in Columbus and the state of Ohio for his most of his life. He has an Electrical Engineering Degree and an MBA. He has over 30 years of experience in customer service, marketing, and technology. He is currently a Director for a global technology company. He handles the business operations and marketing for the company, along with working with Viengkham on the Food Truck.
Our Story
Our story is pretty simple...in early 2023, it started as a dinner party between friends. Theam was asked for "extras" to take home, since it was difficult to find great Laotian and Thai cuisine in the area.
After the dinner party, we said people were so Happy with her food - and ate so much...there was nothing left! Thus, the concept of "The Happy Elephant" was born...from our family, and friends.
​
But the real work began in June, 2023 with taking that idea to a real business...after 11 months our baby Elephant was "born" and came home in May, 2024.​
The "Elephant"
The elephant is national animal of Laos and Thailand and is deeply rooted in their cultural heritage due to Buddhism’s prevalence, symbolizing luck, peace, and wealth. Especially the revered white elephant, symbolizing power and royalty, mirrors the deep spiritual connection between the Laotian and Thailand people and these gentle giants.
Contact
We are always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
740-934-4333