Thailand's world-famous cook is leaving his flagship restaurant.
Chef David Thompson will run his last service at Nahm in Bangkok on Monday 30th April, ending his 18-year relationship with Como Hotels, where the restaurant is located. The Australia-born cook, who has been in Thailand for more than 30 years, will focus on his work exploring and protecting the history and legacy of Thai food through his group, Aylmer Aaham, which he co-founded in 2014.
"For me, the most rewarding aspect is that Nahm has been a happy restaurant," Thompson says. "Even as Nahm’s reputation grew, refined its service and succeeded as a business, the restaurant always retained its sense of sanuk; the pleasure in looking after customers. The application of culinary integrity in the kitchen was never to the cost of the joy in doing what we all loved. This is what I will always remember. It is a rare restaurant that can achieve all of this.”
Thompson opened the first Nahm at Como's Halkin Hotel in London 18 years ago, earning a Michelin star within six months. He opened the current Nahm at the Metropolitan Hotel in Bangkok in 2011, entering The World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2013 at No.32 and earning the No.1 spot in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants in 2014. Nahm is currently No.10 in Asia's 50 Best Restaurants and No.28 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants; Thompson also won the Diners Club Lifetime Achievement Award for Asia's 50 Best in 2016.
The chef launched his first Thai street food restaurant Long Chim in Singapore in 2015 and has since expanded with branches in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. His food group, Aylmer Aaharn, recently announced a collaboration with the London-based Leon casual restaurant chain to create Tuk Shop, a new venture focusing on Thai curries, noodles and rice dishes.
Suraja Ruangnukulkit, known as Jan, will continue as Nahm's head chef.
Take a look at Long Chim with David Thompson:
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