By Agneta Bekassy De Beka
Ask Chef Kanittha ‘Nok’ Rawangsri, who runs the kitchen at popular Phuket restaurant Wagyu Steakhouse, which piece of meat she prefers to prepare, she replies without hesitation: “The Tomahawk. It’s so rich in taste.”
Chef Nok is one of a growing number of Thai women responsible for the quality of the food we eat in hotel restaurants– in her case the Swedish-owned hotel Twinpalms Phuket on Surin Beach.
And when it comes to meat Chef Nok knows what she’s talking about. Few chefs on the island have had her range of experience here and overseas.
She arrived at Twinpalms Phuket in 2011 as a trainee in the kitchen, having already worked in the same position at the Oriental Mandarin in Bangkok..
In 2015, Chef Nok travelled to Sydney, Australia, to learn more about fine cooking from Chef William (Bill) Granger, whose ‘Bills’ restaurants can be found in Australia, Japan, UK, Korea and Hawaii.
Chef Nok is one of a growing number of Thai women responsible for the quality of the food we eat in hotel restaurants– in her case the Swedish-owned hotel Twinpalms Phuket on Surin Beach.
And when it comes to meat Chef Nok knows what she’s talking about. Few chefs on the island have had her range of experience here and overseas.
She arrived at Twinpalms Phuket in 2011 as a trainee in the kitchen, having already worked in the same position at the Oriental Mandarin in Bangkok..
In 2015, Chef Nok travelled to Sydney, Australia, to learn more about fine cooking from Chef William (Bill) Granger, whose ‘Bills’ restaurants can be found in Australia, Japan, UK, Korea and Hawaii.
Then in 2018 Chef Nok travelled to Ruby Jack’s Steakhouse & Bar in Japan, where Chef Matthew Granger took her under his protection and mentorship. “Chef Granger taught me a lot about the Japanese cuisine and introduced me to the famous Kobe beef,” she says.
These trips took place shortly before the Wagyu Steakhouse at Twinpalms Phuket was opened.
Chef Nok also worked on several luxury cruise ships, offering her an opportunity to run an onboard Thai cooking class on board, which she says was much appreciated by the passengers.
In 2019, award-winning Chef John Nguyen visited Twinpalms Phuket from his restaurant Chom Chom, a Hanoi-style eatery in Hong Kong. “To have had the pleasure of working side by side with Chef John is one of my best memories. He taught me so much,” says Chef Nok.
Famous guests at Wagyu Steakhouse include Montri Virojnvechapant of Iron Chef Thailand fame, Art Araya Indra, fashion stylist, and the brand ambassador of the New Yorker cosmetic label Maybelline, Jenny Tienposuwan. Adds Chef Nok: “To us, all guests are famous.
Born in Chiangrai, Chef Nok graduated from the Rattana Bundit University in hotel and business management.
Any day now, Chef Nok will become a mother, as she is expecting her first child. But it probably won’t be long before she’s back in her beloved kitchen at Twinpalms Phuket.
https://www.wagyuphuket.co
These trips took place shortly before the Wagyu Steakhouse at Twinpalms Phuket was opened.
Chef Nok also worked on several luxury cruise ships, offering her an opportunity to run an onboard Thai cooking class on board, which she says was much appreciated by the passengers.
In 2019, award-winning Chef John Nguyen visited Twinpalms Phuket from his restaurant Chom Chom, a Hanoi-style eatery in Hong Kong. “To have had the pleasure of working side by side with Chef John is one of my best memories. He taught me so much,” says Chef Nok.
Famous guests at Wagyu Steakhouse include Montri Virojnvechapant of Iron Chef Thailand fame, Art Araya Indra, fashion stylist, and the brand ambassador of the New Yorker cosmetic label Maybelline, Jenny Tienposuwan. Adds Chef Nok: “To us, all guests are famous.
Born in Chiangrai, Chef Nok graduated from the Rattana Bundit University in hotel and business management.
Any day now, Chef Nok will become a mother, as she is expecting her first child. But it probably won’t be long before she’s back in her beloved kitchen at Twinpalms Phuket.
https://www.wagyuphuket.co
RSS Feed
