Khun Piti ‘Todd’ Bhirom Bhakdi, 4th generation scion of Singha
Beer’s Boon Rawd Brewery, has been working in the family
business for more than 15 years. His wide-ranging portfolio
includes helming the company’s food business arm, Food
Factors. In his spare time, he pursues dichotomous passions—
motor racing and cooking. “My friends often think I would be
too exhausted to cook after I return from a motor racing trip.
On the contrary, that’s what I like to do best. It’s a peaceful time
that helps me unwind when I cook something that I want to eat
or for my friends and family to enjoy.”
His love for cooking ignited at a young age, when the
aromas of Thai dishes prepared with fresh, local ingredients
enticed him into the kitchen. He started learning how to cook
by his grandmother’s side and it has been a passion ever since.
Even when dining out, he looks out for the authentic taste of
Thai cuisine. Alas, his years spent living and travelling abroad
showed him that it was hard to find dining experiences offering
original Thai flavours. Even in Bangkok, one might not get to
enjoy intricately handcrafted Thai food of the sort passed down
for generations. It has been his passion, even mission ever since,
to preserve the authentic taste of Thai cuisine, and showcase it
to the world.
With that insight, he decided to start a fine dining restaurant
that would showcase proper Thai cuisine to the world. It would
use only Thai ingredients, call on the wisdom of ancient recipes,
and all the skill and detailed preparation involved in what is
known as Royal Thai cuisine. This restaurant would be called
R-HAAN, and be helmed by chef Chumpol Jangprai of Iron Chef
fame. That the restaurant earned a Michelin star last year is a
bonus. Just as the family business rose from humble beginnings,
Khun Piti plans to build the R-HAAN brand step by step,
championing authentic Thai cuisine every part of the way.
What was your vision for R-HAAN when you first started it a
year ago?
When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time cooking with my grandma
who’s very traditional and believes in having Thai food the
proper way. I grew up eating Thai food; it’s in my blood. When
I was studying in Boston, I tried Thai food that was often not
really Thai. Since then, I had a vision or mission to preserve the
tradition of serving authentic Thai dishes. That’s when I had
the idea to start R-HAAN, and discussed the project with chef
Chumpol Jangprai.
How are the menus at R-HAAN like and what are some regional
ingredients to expect?
In each of R-HAAN’s tasting menus for the summer, winter
and rainy season, we use local ingredients that are the best in
season to prepare authentic Thai food the way it is supposed
to be prepared—without short cuts. Diners can experience
authentic Thai cuisine in each of the 18 to 19 dishes on
each tasting menu. Using 100 per cent well-preserved local
ingredients sourced across Thailand and the original techniques
of cooking Thai food are principles that we’re not going to
compromise on. One example of regional ingredients we use is
coconut from Phangan. It is one of the best coconuts in Thailand
for cooking as it yields a dense, firm texture. Another is the top-
quality beef from Sakon Nakhon province in Isan.What are your thoughts on the restaurant’s Michelin star
accolade?
We try to improve day by day. We cook exclusively for 45-50
people daily, doing our utmost to make a good impression and
meet our customers’ satisfaction. And it’s rare to find Thai food
served the way we do it, in a set menu, served course by course.
For Thai people, it’s not common to spend one to two hours
dining. When the restaurant first opened, we had 80 percent
foreigners. A year and a half later, it’s now half and half, even at
lunchtime. We see that we are changing the way people view
and eat Thai food.
The Michelin star is a bonus. But we’re not going to stop
there. We’re going to get more stars and apply for other awards
too as they reflect the way we are meeting a lot of the standards
that people expect. But most important of all, when you dine
at R-HAAN, we’re promising that you will get to taste what
Thai people eat every day. It’s the Thai way of living that we’re
preserving. A meal with us is more than just food. It’s telling the
story of Thai people through food.Any plans to open branches of R-HAAN elsewhere?
We have been approached by several partners but we still want
to improve on the original shop. We are not thinking of this as a
showcase restaurant from which to do a franchise. We feel that
to give the customer the best, we need to focus on this one and
develop it before we can think of expanding to other countries.What dishes do you make when you get the chance?
I do different cuisines such as Chinese, Japanese or Thai. One
of the dishes that my guests seem to like most is Nam Ngiaw, a
hot and sour noodle dish commonly eaten in Northern Thailand.
It’s takes at least three to four hours to cook one pot of noodles
because the ingredients need to be boiled until they are soft,
and you need to go through many steps to make the dish
perfect. But those who have had it say that it reminds them of
the version of the dish they had as a kid.How are your family meals like?
I try to cook once a week for the whole family. My parents prefer
to have regular Thai food. My dad has a very good palate. Every
dish that I make, I let him have a taste first. Any comment he
makes, I try to change it before cooking for other people. I think
eating together is a good activity for the family to do together.
When you have a good time making food for people that love it,
and spend time with them enjoying it, what else do you need?