Meet our chef

KANIN SINPAN

Thirty-two years old might seem a bit on the young side for someone bearing the title “Chef Manager ”. But Chef Kanin Sinpan brings multiple awards to the role at Ruen Noppagao, Gourmet House’s newest restaurant. His qualifications are impeccable, too. Most recently, Chef Kanin won the gold medal for classic Thai cuisine twice in consecutive years at the prestigious contest, Thailand’s International Culinary Cup. He has dedicated his professional life to the study of Thai cooking, especially its courtly origins and its rich tradition of regional specialties.

“I graduated from the apprenticeship program of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel,” he says, “and entered as many competitions as I could. I won lots of awards, but they were all for my Thai cooking. That’s when I realized that my focus had to be Thai cuisine, and I set out to learn everything about it.”

In researching authentic recipes from the royal courts of the past, he came upon dishes served at key events in the country’s history, stretching from the distant past up to Bangkok’s Bicentennial celebration. Chef Kanin also uncovered recipes recorded by noble families with connections to the Palace. “As Thailand moved from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy, these families felt emboldened to publish their own cookbooks. Soon, the secrets of Thai cuisine became known to a wider population, and more variations were introduced.” Whatever the dish, though, authentic Thai cuisine always aspires to harmony. “I learned from the great teacher, Khopkeaw Najpinit, that nothing in a dish should be dominant. If we serve green curry, for example, we offer salted fish as an accompaniment to balance it out.” Apart from royal and aristocratic fare, the menus at Ruen Noppagao will include a wide array of signature dishes from the four principal regions of Thailand, with ingredients determined by recipes handed down from generation to generation. Under Chef Kanin’s supervision, the cooking techniques will be equally true to tradition. What’s more, only the best local produce is to be used, along with a choice of organic ingredients, and a selection of complete organic dishes from our associated farm in Sukhothai. “Even the drinks and the food presentation are going to be authentically Thai,” promises Kanin. “Ruen Noppagao will offer a 100% Thai experience.”