After two years at The Wash, fast-casual Thai chicken spot S.S. Gai is looking to find a standalone brick-and-mortar to continue to expand the business.
Chris and Emma Biard began brainstorming the concept during the COVID-19 pandemic, experimenting with flavors and recipes in their apartment. They drew inspiration from past visits to Thailand. They specifically recall going on their honeymoon there and being inspired by the chicken served at the food stalls there.
“It blew our minds,” Chris told What Now Nashville. “It wasn’t like any other chicken we had ever had. It was just unique and delicious.”
With the idea of a fast-casual restaurant similar to a Thai food stall in mind, the couple moved to Nashville and worked at East Side Banh Mi, where they learned the ropes of operating a fast-casual brand. Their goal was to create a concept with a simple menu executed well, a dream they realized with the opening of S.S. Gai at The Wash. It finds its strength in its simplicity, offering two main menu items: the Gai Tod (Thai fried chicken) and the Gai Yang (Thai grilled chicken).
The couple has seen success with the concept over the past two years, meaning they are busy — and that the 386-square-foot space at The Wash is starting to grow tight.
“The Wash was built to help get small businesses started,” Emma said. “We’ve had two great years there, but we’re outgrowing the space a little.”
While they plan to continue to operate at The Wash for the time being, they are also hunting for a brick-and-mortar space to act as their flagship location. They are specifically targeting the East Nashville area.
Eventually, they hope to potentially scale the S.S. Gai across the Southeast. However, they are focusing on Nashville for the time being.
“Our first goal is to get our flagship location,” Emma said. “We don’t have any plans of changing the menu. Obviously a bigger location will allow us to do a bit more menu-wise, but at the end of the day, we’re a chicken shop.”
