Temple business owner picking up pieces of two restaurants damaged in tornado

TEMPLE, Texas (KWTX) – Both La Riv and 3 West Alehouse sit at opposite ends of the Westfield Plaza in Temple and were significantly damaged in Wednesday’s tornado, Vira Chudasma said, who owns both restaurants.

“Our staff did a great job getting [all the customers} into the walk-in coolers and because of that everyone was safe,” chef Tony Strauss said

The two were in Arizona when the tornado hit visiting family.

“Usually nothing happens when we get a tornado warning you know?” Strauss said. “We didn’t think anything of it until about ten minutes later photos started coming in from the inside of 3 West where the ceiling was on the floor,” Strauss said.

“That’s when we realized how serious it was,” Chudasma added.

Staff at La Riv called shortly later, saying they had been evacuated because of a gas leak inside.

After that the two say communication went silent because of cell service issues. In the mean time they jumped and their car and started the 15-hour drive back to Temple.

“We knew that it was going to be a disaster but nothing prepares you to see this,” Chudasma said.

KWTX’s Megan Boyd talked to Chudasma moments after she arrived back at the restaurant.