Palisa Anderson inherited more than a restaurant, she inherited a legacy. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Amy, who founded Chat Thai in 1989 as a young newcomer to Sydney, Australia, Palisa grew up immersed in hospitality. Her childhood was spent between kitchens and dining rooms, where she developed an instinctive understanding of food and a deep respect for ingredients.

After graduating from the university, she spent a decade abroad, working in Hong Kong, London, New York, and Tokyo. But when she returned home, it wasn’t just to rejoin the family business, it was to transform it.

Rather than relying on imported ingredients, Palisa sought to reconnect their restaurants to the land. She founded Boon Luck Farm, where she grows Thai herbs, rare Asian vegetables, and over 30 varieties of citrus. Her guiding belief is simple yet profound: human health begins with soil health.

Through regenerative farming and reforestation, the farm restores depleted land, captures carbon, and rebuilds biodiversity, proving that agriculture can be both ethical and economically viable. Today, Boon Luck Farm supplies 50–80% of the produce served across 15 restaurants, including Chat Thai’s five locations.

Palisa’s story stands as a powerful testament to what is possible when tradition, migration, and ecological responsibility come together, led by women determined to nourish both people and the planet.