Discovering the Culinary Traditions of Thailand

“Stomach and soul,” says chef David Thompson with a smile. “The two things that sum up Thailand.” He pauses. “Well, if I was being flippant and succinct.” David, as I know only too well, is a master of both. It’s quarter past two in the morning, just outside Amphawa, a town an hour or two to the southwest of Bangkok. And I’m a little confused.

We’re here, loitering beneath the ornate eaves of the King Rama II Memorial Park, to observe a wai khru, an ancient Thai ritual where students pay respect to their masters, both human and divine, or – in this case – to honour the art of cooking. Because here in Thailand, food is no mere sustenance but rather, as David explains, “the only true unifying force, and probably the most democratic thing about the country. You’d think the Thais would get cross about politics and corruption. The only time there are real riots is when the rice is too expensive. Do not get between the Thais and their lunch.”

The sides of the room are open, and a warm breeze wafts through the air, which is thick with incense and those lusciously verdant scents of the deep tropical night. We’ve been here for a few hours now waiting for, well, I’m not sure what. Just in front of us is a large metal wok, with a burner beneath. Buddhist monks, resplendent in their saffron robes, gather on one side. Suddenly, the orchestra strikes up, melodiously discordant, and the chanting begins – beautiful, beguiling, hypnotic.

At precisely 2.19am, the time deemed by soothsayers and astrologers to be most auspicious, the wok is fired up and the Jao Ah Wat, or head of the temple, solemnly spoons a lump of ghee onto the hot metal. It seethes and sizzles. The cooking of the sacred rice, kao gravasart, has begun. “Brahmin ceremonies must run like clockwork,” whispers David, “as the time, the course of the heavens and the stars affect the fate that awaits us.” Great, I think, at long last the wai khru has started. I inch closer to the action.

Milk is added to the pan, along with coconut cream, honey and sugar. It smells of hot fudge. “Every ingredient is employed for its symbolic meaning only,” adds David. “Taste plays no role.” OK, now we have actually begun, how long does the wai khru last? “Oh no,” he replies. “It actually begins in a few hours.” Right. Still, better, I suppose, to just go with the flow. There’s little else I can do. The more I learn about Thai culture, the less I seem to actually know.

It all started with an email from David. “Tanongsak Yordwai, my dotty, darling partner,” he wrote, “is reviving an ancient Brahmic ceremony called wai khru, with gods Ganesha and Shiva the ceremony’s focus.” Tanongsak, also a chef, is the palm sugar to David’s chilli: long, lean and lovely. They’ve been together for many years, and it’s impossible to think of one without the other. “The wai khru,” the email goes on, “is more than simply the physical action of cooking and the pleasure of taste. There’s a cultural and spiritual element, a nexus between all the components, the essence of the Thai system of beliefs and traditions, a crazy mixture of the sensual, traditional and supernatural.” A long description of the ceremony followed.

Now the wai khru was fascinating enough. But the prospect of exploring Thai culinary wonders with these two was more exciting still. Because not only is David an old friend (Tanongsak too), but this sardonic, softly spoken Australian, with his thin beard, tar-black wit and slow, idiosyncratic drawl, is among the world experts on Thai cookery. He’s lived in Thailand for years, speaks the language fluently and opened Nahm, the first Thai restaurant in Europe to receive a Michelin star. At first, he was ignored by traditional Thai cooks, furious at the nerve of some farang coming in to research long-forgotten historical recipes. However, he has been tolerated, accepted, and finally, respected.

Exploring the Culinary Delights of Thailand

Over the years, we’ve travelled up and down the land, experiencing Thai cuisine. Up north, to Chiang Mai with its “gutsy, jungly country stuff” and south, where even the most daring of palates can be sorely tested. And back, of course, to Bangkok and the Central Plains where the food is the most complex in the country, reflecting its wealth, diversity and many influences of the past.

The next couple of days were spent navigating the city on the back of a taxi scooter, the most effective way to cut through the heavy traffic. There were lunches at old Chinatown classics for drunken chicken and rice with salted fish in rooms unchanged for decades. We also stopped at Chop Chop Cook Shop, David’s tribute to Bangkok Chinese food. “Noodles are Chinese, and stir-frying is a Chinese technique,” he explains. Most street food also has Chinese origins. The Thais are masters of integrating other cultures and making them their own, they ‘Siam-ise’ everything.

Dining Experiences Along the Chao Phraya River

We stopped at utilitarian cafés for crab with green beans and bracingly sour lotus-stem orange curry. Dinner at David’s Aksorn followed, with a menu based on cookbooks from the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s. The cooking was less fierce than it had been at Nahm yet still superb. Dinner sprawled into the night, concluding at the banks of the Chao Phraya River, broad and glossy, while we enjoyed cold Singha beer, watching the catfish rise and plop.

Three days in Bangkok provided not just good meals, but exciting culinary adventures.

Drifting Down the Klongs

We spent an afternoon drifting down the klongs, the canals crisscrossing the city, past monitor lizards lazing in the sun and an array of architecture. A temple appeared, yellow as duck-egg yolk, while the scent of frangipani mixed with diesel, cooking oil, and smoke. “The past is the past here, and the Thais are not attached to it,” David remarked as we dined at Baan Ploen Dee, perched at the edge of a klong. Whole deep-fried snakehead fish effused an eternal snarl, and we enjoyed its sweet flesh alongside a fierce, sharp sauce.

The following day we crawled through holiday traffic towards Amphawa, famous for its floating market. The area is renowned for high-quality fish, from both sea and river. We stopped for noodles at Maeboonmee Noodles, which were both affordable and delicious. The meal was invigorating, providing essential sustenance.

The Ceremony and Its Significance

As we approached King Rama II Memorial Park, preparations for the ceremony began. The sacred rice praline bubbled, and rice was added along with sesame seeds and peanuts. After resting for a while, at 9.09am, the wai khru ceremony finally commenced. The experience was both mysterious and strangely familiar. Blessings were shared, offerings made, while the orchestra played to “attract the gods, Ganesha and Shiva, from heaven.” Tanongsak and Ajaan circled the floor, enthralling everyone watching with their elegant sword dance, harmonizing with the ancient rhythm.

The Brahmin blew the sacred shell, signaling the end of the ceremony. The gods departed, leaving behind a fusion of Brahmin and Buddhist elements, creating an exquisite experience. “In Thailand, food offers more than nourishment alone,” says David. “It is sustenance, for the country and for the soul.”

The Street Eateries to Discover

Charmgang Curry Shop, Bangkok

With its open kitchen, this neon-lit spot may seem laid-back, but the cooking is exceptional. The chefs trained under David Thompson at Nahm and focus on traditional Thai recipes in a modern setting.

Address: 14, 35 Charoen Krung Road, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100

Nai Mong Hoi Thod, Bangkok

This famous Chinatown food shop offers a Michelin Bib Gourmand and is beloved for its oyster omelette, a delightful dish cooked with precision and taste.

Address: 539 Phlap Phla Chai Road, Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100

Yim Yim, Bangkok

This Teochew restaurant has been a fixture in Chinatown for over eight decades, serving dishes that embody the authentic culinary heritage of the area.

Address: 89 ชั้น 2 Alley, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand

Krua Apsorn, Bangkok

Original branch of Krua Apsorn welcomes local diners who enjoy no-nonsense food made by a royal chef, featuring a diverse menu of traditional Thai dishes.

Address: 169 Dinso Road, Wat Bowon Niwet, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200

Aksorn, Bangkok

David Thompson’s new restaurant, inspired by historical Bangkok cooking, features a selection of dishes that showcase the balance of flavors, textures, and traditional Thai cooking methods.

Baan Ploen Dee, Bangkok

As one of the last klongside restaurants, Baan Ploen Dee offers local flavors in a scenic setting characterized by traditional Thai dining experiences.

Address: 113/1 ซอย ริมคลองมอญ ถนน อรุณอัมรินทร์ แขวง วัดอรุณ Bangkok 10600

Maeboonmee Noodles, Amphawa

This open dining hall serves some of the best noodles around, with a great selection of hot and sour dishes that appeal to both locals and travelers alike.

Address: Amphawa Floating Market, Amphawa, Amphawa District, Samut Songkhram 75110

Chalsamran, Amphawa

Sitting along the Mae Klong River, this wooden restaurant offers stunning seafood dishes that celebrate local flavors in a beautifully decorated setting.

Address: 8CM14 Puang Sombun Road, Tambon Amphawa, Amphoe Amphawa, Chang Wat Samut Songkhram 75110