Owners of recently opened Panny’s Thai Restaurant, Beam Matat, 30, his sister Panny, 28, and her partner, Ben Matthews, 34, are over the moon with the response shown by the Cobram community to their stylish eatery.
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It can take quite some time for a restaurant to find its feet. However, when it opened for the first time on October 29, 2024, the restaurant was booked out, much to the trio’s delight!
“We really couldn’t believe it,” said Panny.
“We expected to be rather quiet, especially as our liquor licence was not approved in time.”
Beam and Panny’s father immigrated to Australia when Beam was 14 and Panny 12.
Settling in Melbourne, their father opened his first restaurant in Mitcham, called Payom Thai, which became popular and offered diners a rare Thai experience for over 20 years.
Besides continuing their education, the siblings helped out in the business and gradually gained the skills and knowledge to feel confident about opening their own business one day.
After completing school, Beam worked alongside his dad in the restaurant while studying for a diploma in building design at Homesglen College.
Two years later, Panny left school and secured a position in the fashion industry at Melbourne Central, where she was to become a supervisor.
This followed with study to become a flight attendant, during which time she met her partner, Ben.
Then COVID-19 hit, and many dreams and opportunities disappeared.
Ben believed it could be a better choice to make a move to Cobram, where his parents, Daryl and Lyn, lived.
The young couple made the move knowing very little about life in a small country town; however, as time went by, Cobram for them came to life, most particularly when their daughter, Aleena, was born almost three years ago.
Panny worked various roles in hospitality, including front of house at the Sebel in Yarrawonga where she was awarded Employee of the Year.
“It was quite helpful there, for I had always wanted to learn more about Australian food,” Panny said.
She also worked at the Cobram Grand Central Hotel, Sporties and the Beach Café, which she enjoyed, yet never lost the yearning to have her own restaurant.
In fact, the need to prove herself was getting stronger and after planning discussions with Ben and Beam, the young trio decided to go ahead — they would open their own restaurant!
They found a perfect site, in what once housed a bakery at 71 High St, Cobram, which they transformed into a stunning Thai restaurant, authentically styled and hugely appealing.
It is spacious and will comfortably cater for 60 to 70 customers and more if the need is there.
A lot of time, thought and energy went into the design.
“If we were going to do it, we wanted to do it well,” said Beam, who was instrumental in coming up with great ideas and together with his two partners is proud of their efforts.
However, the secret to being successful restaurateurs is excellent food and service, and Panny’s Thai Restaurant has both in abundance.
With three talented chefs in the kitchen plus head chef Beam, an extensive authentic Thai menu is offered — and there is definitely a dish to suit all tastes.
There’s a wonderful selection of entrées — choose one or several. Then among the huge list of main dishes you can choose pad Thai seafood, stir fry, rich curries such as massaman, rice dishes with fresh prawns and pork belly and ginger, all made with fresh ingredients. And don’t forget the desserts, which are very tempting.
There are three or four front-of-house staff at the ready to cater to customers, both intimate diners and larger groups.
Meanwhile, Panny’s role is to welcome customers and oversee the staff to ensure customers have a dining experience they will long remember.
Panny’s Thai Restaurant is unique to Cobram and opened by the three young entrepreneurs, it is encouraging to see that our dining future is in such good hands.
“Moving from Thailand to Melbourne was quite easy to adjust to, as both places are quite busy all the time,” Panny said.
“Melbourne is very multicultural so fitting in was quite easy and is easily accessible just like home. But the move to Cobram was quite hard to adjust to at first!
“The limited resources, opportunities and culture were so different in both Melbourne and Thailand.
“But by tackling the obstacles head-on and not letting them deter me, I kept striving for my goals and I have now come to love the little community of Cobram.
“To see so many people support our restaurant in a positive way makes me love this town so much more!”
Customers may not see Ben at the restaurant regularly as he has his own job and will be working in Melbourne three days a week but will generally be home at weekends and attend to any behind-the-scenes issues, finance and bookwork.
He is a skilled mechanical fitter and employed as a contractor, yet hugely passionate about owning the restaurant.
The couple have purchased a home in Cobram while Ben’s parents live in Barooga.
Footnote
The Matat family from the Nong Khai Province in Thailand on the Mekong River near Laos began their Australian origins in the restaurant business in Mitcham and then went to Lilydale.
From there they opened two restaurants in Bairnsdale, one in Sale, then several in Queensland.
One wonders how far the two siblings Beam and Panny, the second generation restaurateurs, will take their skills and love of food throughout the land.