Photo by Eliesa Johnson
Ann Ahmed
Ann Ahmed is not naïve. The last two years have been tough on small businesses like hers. For our new series featuring forward-thinking women, presented by Evereve, we talked to her soon after her glowingly reviewed restaurant Khâluna had opened its doors and Omicron was closing many others. But throw her a grievance, and she’ll share a blessing in disguise (her words!) or a story of survival. She credits her mother and grandmother for the inspiration.
It’s been 17 years since you opened Lemon Grass Thai, then Lat14 in 2018, now Khâluna. What inspired you to start it all?
As a young child, cooking was something I always did with my grandmother. It was a bond we had. Looking back now, I realize how special that was. When you’re a kid, you don’t really have the term inspiration connected to that, but it was a sense of comfort; that’s where I felt safe. And then it just came really natural to me to put it in the form of a restaurant.
What has propelled you to keep moving forward?
I don’t know if it’s part of the genetics of the women in my family, but what I’m going through now in the pandemic, and all of this craziness around us, is so much lighter than what my great-grandmother, my grandmother, and my mother went through in their home country [of Laos]. That’s what keeps me going. I think, This is not so bad because they went through that and still had hope. Who am I to say that I gave up and I’m not hopeful for the future and not wanting to push forward?
Did you have many doubts along the way?
Of course. There are always doubts. I had them when I met my husband and we were deciding if we wanted to have children. My twins, Maxwell and Emma, are 7 now. I was pregnant with them when I just had Lemon Grass. They were 4 when I opened Lat14. It was hard, but I knew that I couldn’t be a successful mother if I wasn’t being true to what I wanted in life. But I’m definitely torn in different directions. Like, is it time to be a mom; is it time to be a chef; is it time to be the boss, the owner? If you’re not doubting it, then I don’t think you’re really checking in with yourself.
What’s it like being a small business owner in 2022?
I’m trying to look at the positive angles. For me, it’s almost like a blessing in disguise, having three restaurants and trying to be where I’m needed. I believe in leading by example, from doing the dishes to cleaning the bathroom. So now that we’re running with a smaller team and with cases happening every day, we’re always trying to fill the gaps. Some nights I’m a chef; some nights I’m a server’s assistant. I think it’s important for my staff to see me alongside them. Without this pandemic, I don’t think I would have slowed down to see how important that is as a business owner.
Any advice for other women starting their own businesses?
Don’t make excuses. There will always be challenges, and giving up is easy. Just remember to breathe and follow your heart. When you do something that’s deep within you, you’re going to keep fighting for it, no matter what.
How would you describe your style?
I love a pair of jeans and a loose, cozy sweater. That really mimics the feeling of a kitchen to me. When I’m feeling comfortable and warm and cozy, I can cook and host for hours. If I could just cook in my sweater and manage to keep it clean, I would choose that over my chef’s coat any day.
How was your Evereve fitting?
The stylist wanted me to feel good in the clothes we picked out. It was an amazing feeling to be taken care of. I was dressed to be me—not as a mother, not as a chef, but me. It made me think that I don’t have to lose myself to fulfill any of those roles.
On Ahmed: Sundry shoulder pad sweatshirt ($138); earrings ($34); 7 for All Mankind Alexa crop jeans ($198), Woden Nora III Plateau sneakers ($120), all from EVEREVE, evereve.com
This article originally appeared in the March 2022 issue of Mpls.St.Paul Magazine as part of a new series, The Foreword, presented by Evereve.
