Twenty years ago, in the heart of Hayward, a young couple took a chance on a dream. Sunny and Lulu Ho—he, a Vietnamese refugee who had worked every odd job imaginable, and she, a Thai immigrant who had once been a waitress and a bank teller—decided to open a restaurant together. They called it Red Chilli, a name that captured both the heart and heat of their shared heritage.
At the time, Hayward was changing fast—an East Bay city with a growing immigrant community, but few places that reflected the full depth of Southeast Asian cuisine. Thai food had its following, Vietnamese food was beginning to gain recognition—but never together under one roof. That blend, born out of love and practicality, became Red Chili’s signature from day one.
Sunny had always been a tinkerer and a dreamer. Before the restaurant, he sold jewelry on the streets of San Francisco’s Chinatown, drove taxis, and worked in the kitchens of fine-dining restaurants. Lulu, steady and graceful, was the voice of reason, balancing books by day at the bank and later serving tables at a Thai restaurant. Their story is one of chance, grit, and the quiet determination of people who believed they could build something lasting—not just for themselves, but for their young children, Tiffany and her brother, then only five and two years old.
They had poured all their savings into the restaurant,” says Tiffany. “It had to work. There was no other option.
The early days were hard. Neither Sunny nor Lulu had experience running a business, and the restaurant industry can be unforgiving, especially for first-time immigrant owners. “They worked day and night,” Tiffany recalls. “They learned everything the hard way—what sold, what didn’t, how to build trust with suppliers, and how to find employees who would stick around.”
Still, the food spoke for itself. Red Chili quickly became known for its vibrant flavors and comforting, home-style dishes—crispy roti canai, fragrant tom yum wings, and the kind of curries that warmed more than just the stomach. Their cooking was fresh, bold, and deeply personal—a meeting point between two culinary traditions that shared spice, soul, and family at their core.
Over the years, Red Chili became more than a restaurant; it became part of Hayward’s rhythm. The same families who came in for lunch on weekends started celebrating birthdays, graduations, and even wedding receptions there. Sunny and Lulu greeted many customers by name, watching generations of families grow up one meal at a time.
“We’ve seen kids who used to come in with their parents now bring their own children,” Tiffany says. “It’s surreal to think we’ve been part of people’s lives like that.”
When Red Chili celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024, the family wanted to give something back. They decided to transform their usual service into an all-you-can-eat buffet for a few days—just for fun, just to say thank you. They didn’t expect what happened next. “People started lining up before we even opened,” Tiffany says, laughing. “At one point we were at full capacity for three days straight. It was wild. People waited hours for a table. It was this overwhelming moment of gratitude—like, wow, all this work for all these years really meant something to people.”
That moment reaffirmed what Sunny and Lulu had always known: community is the heart of their restaurant. Through recessions, shifting food trends, and a pandemic that shuttered many beloved local spots, Red Chili endured. Loyal regulars kept coming back, picking up takeout, spreading the word, and keeping the dining room full of familiar faces and laughter.
The restaurant world has changed dramatically since 2004. “Back then, if you had great food and a welcoming space, people came,” Tiffany reflects. “Now, the competition is intense. There are so many new cuisines, food trends, and online reviews. You can’t just rely on the food anymore—you have to constantly adapt.”
And adapt they have. Recently, Red Chili refreshed its menu for the first time in years, adding a mix of beloved classics and exciting newcomers. Signature items like Banh Xeo (a half-moon crepe) and Pho have been refined with updated recipes, while new dishes like Bun Bo Hue and a Salt & Pepper Series—featuring wings, fish, pork chops, and tofu—have joined the lineup. “We wanted to keep our roots but also introduce something new for our longtime customers,” Tiffany says.
With a second location now thriving in San Jose, the Ho family continues to evolve while staying true to what made Red Chili special in the first place: authenticity, warmth, and family. Even after two decades, Sunny and Lulu still show up every day, greeting guests, tasting sauces, and keeping the kitchen humming with energy.
And there’s more to come. With diners increasingly embracing all-you-can-eat options, the Ho family is considering bringing back their beloved buffet—this time as a regular feature. “Customers keep asking about it,” Tiffany says. “We think it could be a fun way to bring everyone together again.”
Inside the Hayward dining room at 29583 Mission Blvd, you’ll find all the little details that speak to the family’s story: Thai artwork on the walls, Vietnamese herbs perfuming the air, and the sight of Sunny chatting with guests while Lulu keeps a watchful eye on every plate leaving the kitchen. The hum of conversation mixes with the clinking of silverware, a soundtrack two decades in the making.
It’s hard to measure the true success of a place like Red Chili in numbers alone. For Sunny and Lulu, success is found in the familiar faces, in the families who’ve made their restaurant part of their own story. It’s in the quiet gratitude of knowing that a chance they took twenty-one years ago still burns brightly today—like the red chili itself, both fiery and full of heart.
Source: NewsBreak
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Red Chili
📍 29583 Mission Blvd, Hayward, CA 94544
🍜 Cuisine: Thai & Vietnamese Fusion
🍤 Signature Dishes: Tom Yum Wings, Crispy Rice Salad, Tamarind Fish, Roti Canai, Banh Xeo, Thai Curries
👨👩👧👦 Owners: Sunny & Lulu Ho
✨ Established: August 2004 (Second Location in San Jose, 2017)
💬 Fun Fact: Red Chili was the first restaurant in the Bay Area to focus on both Thai and Vietnamese cuisines.