Our colleague has a thought-provoking WhatsApp status. It reads, "People make places." It's true, isn't it? Chai can be 30 minutes away from a click of your finger. It can arrive in oddly shaped cardboard boxes along with peppy thermos glasses. But we will still settle for the saccharine-sweet version served in questionably washed cutting glasses because it's familiar. We know the chaiwallah and he knows us. For all of us at this newspaper, our chai is as good as Chiman, the resident chaiwallah. Indeed, people do make places, and what better way to understand a 25-year-old Asian restaurant than through its people?

So, a few days ago, when Cuffe Parade's iconic Thai Pavilion celebrated its silver jubilee, we decided to connect with Joe D'Mello, food and beverage supervisor, who also completed 25 years of service on the same day.