Steve Wakefield opened the original restaurant in 1996 with his wife May, whose recipes have made the Chilli Banana a must for devotees of Thai food in the area.

Now Ben Jackson and his wife Dao are helping to introduce May's own brand of 'home Thai cooking' to a wider audience. Opened in Macclesfield in July, the first franchise outlet has already established itself as a popular choice with local diners.

Ben had been working in the original Chilli Banana for seven years when the opportunity to become the first franchisee arose. Steve is more than happy with the way the new business is progressing.

'The Chilli Banana brand was already known in Macclesfield as it's quite near to our existing location, so we were confident that it would work there. In the first three months turnover has already exceeded expectations. We're now working to ensure and maintain ongoing quality control.'

Steve and May have high standards. To create the authentic food that makes Chilli Banana so successful, chefs are sourced from Thailand and undergo extensive training to produce dishes from the freshest ingredients, according to traditional Thai recipes. Plans are already underway to establish a third franchise in the Manchester area.

Published: 15 November 2005

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