Ryan & Keenan Tham

Founders/MDs

Pebble Street Hospitality

The Tham brothers are no strangers to the hospitality world, given the legacy they come from. With the reins in their hands, they carry the torch forward commendably, taking Asian cuisine to the next level

Heirs to a Legacy

Interviewed by LYLE MICHAEL

They’ve been devoted to their family business ever since they can remember and are carrying forward the legacy with a keen eye on industry trends, offering a blend of traditionalism and modernity in their dining establishments. Asian cuisine by the Thams has been an institution in itself in Bombay since years now, beginning with Mon Yiu Tham who migrated from China; to his legendary son, Henry Tham; to today, run successfully in the hands of the dapper brothers, Ryan & Keenan. Think of their erstwhile The Good Wife and Trilogy and you think of brands that hit the mark, each in their own right.

Today, we’re sitting at their Koko in Kamala Mills and talking work, life and food with the brothers over a hearty meal of Dim sums, sushi, stir-fried greens and this silken Hamachi Carpaccio. Koko is the more premium of the brands under Pebble Street Hospitality, founded in early 2015.

To take you through the chronology: Koko was 2016 – the aspirational Japanese-focused eatery with a luxurious feel to the ambience and the food, for the nightlife seekers. Then came Foo at Phoenix Mills, the all-day casual Asian tapas space in 2018, the more accessible one, for the pocket-friendly dine-out, followed by Foo Town in Churchgate in 2019 and another in BKC after. During the 2020 lockdown, too, the brothers launched a Foo in Powai, then one in Andheri last year followed by Bandra and the latest in January 2022. Why stop there? Foo lovers, there's a brand new one in Powai and one in NESCO, Goregaon right around the corner. Other city expansions are soon, too.

It’s always been a team effort for the boys, however, recently, the elder, Ryan brings more of the overall operations and team management experience while Keenan focuses more on food and design aspects. “Our aesthetic tastes are not similar. Ryan is more refined while I’m more minimal,” Keenan starts us off. “But our tastes meld and it’s good that we agree and disagree on things, helps with the product development.” The combination works, especially where the food is concerned, along with Chef Eric Sifu, Executive Chef of PSH.

Right from studying together at GD Somani, Cuffe Parade, as young boys to carrying out post-graduation in business from Griffith University, Australia, to learning the ropes of the restaurant business firsthand from their grandfather and their father, Ryan & Keenan have been there and done that as a duo. “Except that I did my graduation from HR and Keenan was from Xavier’s,” states Ryan, the quieter of the two. “Growing up in a family like ours (with restaurants like Mandarin and Kamling in the ‘60s to Henry Tham in the 2000s), the experience was great. The food was both authentic Chinese and Indian – from mum’s heritage. We would have dal-rice and chicken soup.”

Between the two brothers, Keenan is the one who dons the apron, the good cook, while Keenan is more social media savvy. “When Henry Tham launched back in 2005, I promoted the restaurant on Facebook to the best of my ability and today, it’s all so different. I’m no influencer but you have to be up on the latest trends,” he tells us. That you do! And then you make time for your off-work pursuits; most certainly have to do that, too! While Ryan wants to travel more, Keenan is into adventure sports like skiing and scuba-diving and has enough time to spend with his “new boss”. “My three-year-old daughter, Norah, keeps me on my toes.”

And to complete the picture, the Thams are a dog-loving family. Two Labs –  Zedd who lives with Keenan in Worli and Miso who lives with Ryan and their mum. “We also have two strays, Rafa and Steffi at our farmhouse,” shares Ryan, “mum’s a tennis fan, so.” Food-loving, dog-loving, successful down-to-earth men, the Tham brothers for you.