It came down to the impossible choice between saving her business and supporting her employees. The forced shutdown followed by coronavirus-related restrictions slowed business to nearly a halt. She said the hardest part was laying people off. People started to not come in because they were scared.” “We got hit first because we are an Asian restaurant. (Photo: Kyle Niemier) Strength and resilienceĪfter opening, McAuley poured everything into her business and was just starting to get it off the ground when the pandemic hit. Rachel McAuley, owner-operator of Zen Thai Cafe, pours a drink behind the bar. The bustling sidewalks, street art, nightlife, and light rail running past make having a restaurant Downtown feel like “an honor.” “I love Downtown because – look at this!” she said, motioning out the window. The result was Zen Thai Cafe, which grew in popularity among students from ASU Downtown and the Phoenix Biomedical Core, business professionals, and convention travelers. Blending some of Tom Yum’s classic dishes with her own creations, she rebranded with her own concept in 2018. Without skipping a beat, she refocused on Downtown Phoenix. McAuley purchased the business in 2017, formerly known as Tom Yum Thai Restaurant, after Zen Culinary in Scottsdale – her first project – shuttered after less than a year. ![]() Yet AAPI women were one of the fastest-growing demographics of entrepreneurs prior to the pandemic. Rachel McAuley is part of a small community of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in Phoenix, just over 4 percent (compared to 6.5 percent nationally), according to the 2020 U.S. That’s the big memories with food for me.” That is the thing that’s shaped me to want to have everyone involved, you know, participating or connecting with each other. “Back home, you would just eat together…you shared everything together,” she said. Sometimes there were big celebratory events where the entire community would come together over food, sharing their favorite dishes. She said neighbors would often gather to hang out and share food while the kids would run around and play. ![]() It was a dream that started as a young child growing up in Thailand – a place where food, family, and community were inextricably linked. “The experience of eating good food, and to be happy, to hang out…for me, it fulfills the dream.” “I often call my customers ‘Zen family,’” she said. Whether she’s in the kitchen, behind the bar, or making rounds amongst the tables chatting with guests, her warm and inviting presence makes the Downtown Phoenix eatery feel like home - and she wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m now hoping to help people in psychological needs by introducing the zentai as a support for mental health,” Yukinko said.Chef Rachel McAuley greets everyone who walks into Zen Thai Cafe with a luminous smile. In the last few years, I now feel it’s been better recognized as an artistic form of performance by the public. “When I first found out about zentai, it wasn’t famous at all. Yukinko said that some people in their group have trouble communicating with people in daily life, but come out of their shells when wearing a zentai suit, able to look people in the eye and wave to an audience with a smile. I know the zentai first unfolded as a kind of fetishism, but I feel like there are actually many zentai users who wear the suit for psychological relief,” she said. That may lead to social anxiety or depression. “Nowadays, young people, especially girls, are particularly conscious of their appearances and often suffer low self-esteem from comparing themselves to others on social media, like Instagram. “Because when wearing a zentai suit, it feels like I’m taking off the armor of the person I should be and letting myself be the real me with complete anonymity.” Yukinko believes in the power of zentai to help with mental health. So, when I first saw and tried the zentai, I thought I finally found a place where I could be myself,” she said. ![]() “I’ve always liked getting into a character.
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