Chat Mingkwan
Author of Buddha's Table: Thai Feasting Vegetarian Style
About the Author
As the youngest child in a Bangkok family, Chat Mingkwan was often left behind to help his aunt prepare the family dinner while his older brothers and sisters ran off to play. At first, he disliked the task of cooking, but soon he learned to enjoy his new knowledge and skills, including discovering show more the sweet revenge of spiking and spicing his siblings' meals. Mingkwan came to the United States and completed a degree in design from California State University. He worked for several years in the hospitality design business, specializing in kitchen and restaurant design. Later Mingkwan followed his passion to become a chef and apprenticed in provincial French cuisine at La Cagouille in Rayon, France. He also traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia, learning about the unique cuisines of many different countries. He again became an apprentice, this time of South Asian cuisine, and mastered the skills of Thai cooking. Mingkwan worked for several years as a chef at a restaurant specializing in Southeast Asian cooking in San Francisco. Currently, Chat Mingkwan is doing what he enjoys most: teaching cooking classes, catering, traveling, writing, and promoting his new business (www.unusualtouch.com). He resides in the San Francisco area show less
Image credit: Chat Mingkwan
Works by Chat Mingkwan
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 20th Century
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- Thailand (birth)
USA
Members
Reviews
A fantastic book that contains more than just recipes. Chat Mingkwan takes the reader through an exploration of Thai food culture and give valuable insights into what goes into making Thai food distinctive, what its heritage is, and where it is today. This is a good book if you are new to Thai cooking because the author outlines Thai ingredients that may be new to 'Western' kitchens, including suggestions on substitutes or what ingredients you really should keep as the originals only. What show more is more, I found out that the staple condiment of my childhood, Maggi Sauce, is actually used in Thai cooking!
While the title refers to vegetarian recipes, these are actually vegan, which is great for our household. The recipes are well written and the book is well laid out. Each recipe includes an introductory paragraph or two telling you something about the food, which is a nice touch. If ever you needed encouragement to make your own curry pastes or to whip up an authentic Tom Yum this is the book for you. show less
While the title refers to vegetarian recipes, these are actually vegan, which is great for our household. The recipes are well written and the book is well laid out. Each recipe includes an introductory paragraph or two telling you something about the food, which is a nice touch. If ever you needed encouragement to make your own curry pastes or to whip up an authentic Tom Yum this is the book for you. show less
Lists
Statistics
- Works
- 9
- Members
- 139
- Popularity
- #147,350
- Rating
- 2.8
- Reviews
- 1
- ISBNs
- 14