4 Asian chefs lighting up Vancouver with Thai, Korean and Hong Kong flavours
We highlight four rising Asian chefs: one from Thailand, one from South Korea and two from Hong Kong.
1. Nutcha Phanthoupheng, Baan Lao
Baan Lao was recently named best destination restaurant by Canada's 100 Best, and the best restaurant in Canada at the World Culinary Awards in 2024. Quite the accomplishment for Nutcha Phanthoupheng, who was a nurse and cancer researcher for 13 years before following her culinary dream in 2019.
Stir-fried chicken in steamed rice paper dumpling from Baan Lao. Photo: Handout
She opened the restaurant in British Columbia's biggest city to promote royal Thai cuisine which, unlike Thai staples such as pad Thai and tom yum goong, is beautifully presented in small plates and subtly flavoured.
Her background in medicine also informs her cooking.
'Food is a big factor of cancer, and I want to do something to take care of people, do something beautiful, helpful and healthy,' she explains. 'Food is medicine so I want to open a restaurant that is beautiful and healthy for customers.'
Originally from Isaan in northeast Thailand, Nutcha grew up cooking with her mother and helped grow vegetables and raise animals on their farm. They ate simple food such as steamed vegetables and fish, and seasoned dishes with a simple mix of chillies, garlic and fish sauce.
When she and her young family moved to Richmond, British Columbia, in 2014, her husband, John, who is the honorary consul for Laos, encouraged her to follow her passion to become a chef and open a restaurant.
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