D E PA R T M E N T S C H E F ’ S TA B L E
A RESTAURANT HOLLY SPRINGS CAN CALL ITS OWN OSHA THAI KITCHEN & SUSHI FILLS A MUCH-NEEDED NICHE IN WESTERN WAKE
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BY ELLIOT ACOSTA
PHOTOS BY MASH PHOTOGRAPHY
ust a few decades ago, Holly Springs could be more accurately described by what the town didn’t have, than by what it did. There weren’t many residential subdivisions, shopping areas or places to eat. But then the sleepy town at the southern edge of Wake County that had just shy of 1,400 residents in 1990, exploded to more than 40,000 in 2020. Fujiflim broke ground in Holly Springs that same year, continuing the momentum. Despite this growth, Holly Springs still didn’t have a neighborhood restaurant where residents could go for a nice meal. Tired of driving to the Triangle’s marquee cities for a quality dining experience, North Carolina natives and longtime Holly Springs residents Blake and Katie Zalcberg knew the town of Holly Springs was ready for an acclaimed restaurant of its own—and it just so happened they knew a pair who would help them bring such a restaurant to life.
UNIFIED ASPIRATIONS
The Zalcbergs met Leo Chotitaveesaksri when he was their charismatic and attentive server at Wasabi, a longtime fixture in Cary’s Japanese scene. Eventually, their conversations diverged from culinary options to a deeper discussion of aspirations, namely
Chotitaveesaksri’s desire to open a Thai restaurant that reflected the taste and flavors of his life in Thailand. The Zalcbergs also learned of Chotitaveesaksri’s wife, Wiyada “Tuk” Sorkeaw, and her desire to lead a kitchen. Thanks to the Zalcbergs’ connection to developing Holly Springs’ Town Hall Commons, the team collaborated and made Osha Thai Kitchen & Sushi a reality. For Blake, the partnership goes beyond just business. “We’re like family,” Blake says. “Four people running in parallel, serving authentic Thai food, sushi and cocktails to Holly Springs.” Osha Thai Kitchen & Sushi opened in late 2019. At that time, its creators were getting their feet underneath them, trying to figure out how to consistently provide an authentic experience for guests. During those early days, Osha Thai Kitchen & Sushi didn’t even offer takeout. But then the pandemic and shelter-in-place orders came to North Carolina. Within a day, the restaurant pivoted and offered online ordering. The chaos created by the pandemic over the last two years gave the restaurant an opportunity to define itself. And through the midst of this mayhem, Holly Springs carried them. “My expectations were far exceeded with how important you can become to a community” Blake says.
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