Check Out Ton Tran’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ton Tran.

Hi Ton, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The seeds of our journey were planted in 1999 when my mother and I opened Little Saigon Cuisine, the first Vietnamese restaurant in Times Square, New York City. During the five years time frame of working with my mother, it ignited a passion for the culinary arts and vision to elevate Vietnamese cuisine. Then in 2006, I took a different turn, to join corporate America, working for an international calling company. Being with this telecom company for 15 years, but my heart is still with the F&B industry. Most of my co-workers kept telling me that “hey Ton, you probably belongs to the F&B, go and open a restaurant”. In 2014, I started to spot a good concept for my future Vietnamese eatery. It’s a fast casual dining restaurant. Ten years later, in 2024, joined by like-minded partners, especially the contribution of my lovely wife, the chef, we established SATÉ Banh Mi & Grille™, we focus on fresh ingredients to craft exquisite dishes, complemented by our commitment of exceptional hospitality. All of our recipes have been developed by my wife, Ms. Q, the master chef behind the scene. My team and I just follow the recipe instructions step by step to produce delicious dishes for SATÉ Banh Mi & Grille. At our eatery establishment, we focus on three main points: 1/ Excellent food quality and consistency. 2/ Exceptional hospitality. 3/ Clean and cozy atmosphere. We want to promote Vietnamese culture via our food. We want to deliver the authentic taste on all of our food, very similar to the ways they being served in Vietnam.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As the matter of fact, it has not been a smooth road, just like any other start-up business. Here are some examples of the struggles along the way: 1/ Finding new customers. 2/ Being short of staff. 3/ Training leaders…and many more.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have a long to do list, mostly, full fill the inventory 3 days a week, do the marketing by taking photos, creating post for our social media channels. Come up with constant promotions. Creating content and artworks for our promotions. Manage online Google page, read customers review and respond appropriately. Manage the menu for all channels from our website, DoorDash, Uber Eats, to Grubhub. Fill in the opening position when we’re short of staff. I measure all the ingredients in our recipes. I do food tasting every day to make sure the quality is consistence and at top notch. I check and make sure the facility is as clean as possible. I constantly check and make sure our staff follow company guidelines in terms of food safety protocol. Food safety is my priority at all time. Besides the guests, our staff also love the food here and eat their employee’s meals every day.

I do enjoy being a cahier, serving and talking to our guests. My highlight of the day is the meet our new guests and hear their stories. I am well known with my hospitality, the way I serve our guests is kind of unique. I learn their names and memorize them as much as I can, so I can greet our guests by calling out their names. Actually, my philosophy is very simple, anybody walks through our front door is my family and friends. I would greet them as I do for my family and friends when they come to my home. I would serve our guests the best that I could do with all my heart, regardless that they spend a dollar or a hundred dollars. Share a smile is not only what I do best, it’s also our number one rule in company policy, always share a smile. A smile does not cost anything, but it means a lot to a person who receives it. I am very proud of my team, every single one of them are doing a great job to keep this establishment running smoothly. I appreciate every single member of my team. I always make sure my team has the best working environment. I am super proud of our team because of their awesome performance.

All of the above would set SATÉ Banh Mi & Grille apart from others. As my mother used to say, there are 100 of people selling, but there will be hundred of thousands are buying. Just create your own unique market, just create happiness for our customers, then success will come.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I like best about Sandy Springs is the variety of food. There are so many different cuisine to explore from.
What I like least about Sandy Springs is the construction near by City Hall has been going on for so long.

Pricing:

• Banh Mi (D&D: digital & delicious) = $5.95 each when order ONLINE or in store KIOSK

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.SateGrille.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sate.grille
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/satevietgrills/#
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SateGrille
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sate-banh-mi-and-grille-atlanta?osq=SATE+Banh+Mi+%26+Grille

Image Credits
Photographer from Owner.com; Photographer from SATE Grille.