Kin Thai: Modern Thai Recipes to Cook at Home

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Chantarasak has been generous in sharing knowledge acquired from childhood trips to Bangkok where he ate his grandmother’s food, the 18 months he spent in the city working in David Thompson’s kitchen at Nahm, and as sous chef of London’s highly regarded Thai restaurant Som Saa. I spoke to the manager when I found out, and she was clearly ready to die in a ditch over us not being able to seat any more people. It has a warm and cosy atmosphere, the staff were very attentive and the food was delicious and we’d happily dine here again! This is followed by a similar passage on the food of ‘The British Isles’, describing the rich and fertile landscapes, and the produce grown on land or harvested in our seas and rivers. Translating as ‘eat Thai’, Kin Thai is the debut cookbook from John Chantarasak and is - broadly, at least - based around the same concept as his successful AngloThai pop-up of the same name, with British ingredients standing in for Thai ones in many cases.

Kin Thai (‘eat Thai’) contains 60 recipes fusing Thai cuisine with British ingredients, reflecting Chantarasak’s heritage as a Liverpudlian born to an English mother and Thai father. We’re a family-owned business with a passion for bringing the authentic taste of Thai cuisine to Birmingham and beyond. After training at Le Cordon Bleu in Bangkok, John worked in the kitchens of David Thompson, whose restaurant Nahm is one of the most highly regarded Thai restaurants in the world.The bill, thanks in large part to government’s subsidy for the wealthy and fat (hhmmm) was refreshingly extremely modest. g. tapas) restaurants to receive each dish as it comes, but this is not that - you will literally get two plates of spring rolls/dim sum alongside two large bowls of Pad Thai. After 18 months in Thailand, he’d not only learned to cook professionally but discovered his true cooking identity. Today they phoned up and quite angrily garbled that they could not do prawns in the curry, and would instruct all staff not not allow me to have this in future. AngloThai is an acclaimed pop-up restaurant concept that marries traditional Thai recipes with seasonal British ingredients, complemented with a low-intervention wine program.

So it’s no surprise to open this book and find it full of insight and winning recipes – have it in your kitchen, you won’t be disappointed! The ‘Introduction’ recounts Chantarasak’s childhood in Wales’ Wye Valley; joyous, food-focused visits to family in Thailand; his relocation from an office job in London to Bangkok (via a bucket-list road trip across the SA), and his realisation that food and drink wasn’t just a much-loved hobby but a viable and desirable career for him. The food is really excellent but the experience of eating here is made less enjoyable by being given the starters and the main courses all at once. Our recipes, inspired from travels and our family and friends are crafted in house and we don’t believe in compromising on taste.

In the end, the dish turned out to be deliciously crispy yet highly succulent reminding me of my many visits to family in Thailand. He also outlines equipment, such a traditional clay mortar and wooden pestle, heavy cleaver and spice grinder that are ideal for preparing the book’s recipes that are divided into chapters covering salads and laab (Thai steak tartare), grilled dishes, relishes, soups and braises, stir fries, curries, snacks and sweets. Chapters are structured by type of dish, from snacks and relishes to curries, stir-fries and salads, so you can easily find your favourites – from Roast Duck and Lychee Red Curry (gaeng daeng bpet) and Langoustine and Rhubarb Hot and Sour Soup (dtom yum goong) to Red Fire Greens with Yellow Soybean Sauce (pak kheo fai daeng) and Assorted Flavour One-bite Royal Snack (miang kham).

After completing a European-focused culinary diploma at Le Cordon Bleu in Bangkok, Chantarasak interned with David Thompson and Prin Polsuk, relishing the opportunity to learn Thai cuisine from such world-renowned experts. From classic dishes like Pad Thai and Green Curry to our signature ‘KIN for One’ bowls, we have something for everyone.While we have taken care in preparing this summary and believe it is accurate, it is not a substitute for your reading the product packaging and label prior to use. Someone came over to the table every 5 minutes to take plates, shove the card reader on the table, and actually argue with us when we said we'd just like a bit of time to relax and chat without interruption. Chapters are structured by type of dish, from snacks and relishes to curries, stir-fries and salads, so you can easily find your favourites - from Roast Duck and Lychee Red Curry (gaeng daeng bpet) and Langoustine and Rhubarb Hot and Sour Soup (dtom yum goong) to Red Fire Greens with Yellow Soybean Sauce (pak kheo fai daeng) and Assorted Flavour One-bite Royal Snack (miang kham). Dumplings, where we went against the same problem again with the salt and the dish was describe on a disappointing way on the menu.

Explore Thai flavours and then think about what local British produce you have available to you that would work well as a substitute. So I’d avoid this place if you want to have a deep conversation, but for casual dining it’s not the end of the world and in fairness the staff are incredibly friendly. Our aim is to provide you with exemplary service to compliment our award winning authentic Thai cuisine. In January 2022, John was named on Thailand Tatler’s ‘The 2022 Future List’, which recognises the 100 brightest Thai talents who are destined to change the future of Thailand.From Roast Duck and Lychee Red Curry ( gaeng daeng bpet) and Langoustine and Rhubarb Hot and Sour Soup ( dtom yum goong) to Red Fire Greens with Yellow Soybean Sauce ( pak kheo fai daeng) and Assorted Flavour One-bite Royal Snack ( miang kham).