Anglo Thai: London's Michelin-Starred Thai Restaurant Blending British and Thai Flavors

Anglo Thai: A Culinary Fusion

• 🇬🇧 🇹🇭 Anglo Thai is London's sole Michelin-starred Thai restaurant, founded by Chef John Chantarasak, who blends his British and Thai heritage.
• 🧠 Chantarasak describes his cooking as a direct reflection of his thought process, meticulously melding British ingredients with Thai culinary traditions.

Family Heritage and Inspiration

• 👨‍父亲 Chef John Chantarasak's work ethic is inspired by his father, Dawn, who moved from Bangkok to the UK and worked diligently.
• 👩‍mother His mother, Lisa, and her family ran a bakery in Cornwall, selling traditional British baked goods like pasties and scones.
• 🎸 Early in life, Chantarasak dreamed of becoming an international rock star, even nearly signing with a record label.

Culinary Journey and Influences

• 📚 A pivotal moment occurred when a chef in Austin, Texas, gave him Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential," sparking a passion for the chef's life.
• 🎓 He trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Bangkok under David Thompson, the chef who earned the world's first Michelin star for a Thai restaurant.
• 💡 After a decade of planning and pop-ups, Chantarasak, with his wife Desire, opened Anglo Thai in London.

Unique Dishes and Ingredients

• 🐎 The dish "Mahor," meaning "galloping horses," is a one-bite starter featuring crunchy British kohlrabi, sweet candied beetroot, and rapeseed oil, designed to invigorate the palate with sweet, spicy, savory, and nutty flavors.
• 💎 A luxurious crab caviar creation is served on a coconut ash cracker, challenging the notion that certain ingredients should be exclusive to the elite.
• 🦪 Plump, briny oysters from Ireland's Carlingford Lough and beef cheeks in a lime curry are also highlighted.
• 🌾 Instead of traditional rice, Chantarasak uses British heritage grains like emmer and farro, braised in fatty stock and spices, a choice blessed by his Thai grandmother.

Achieving Culinary Excellence

• 🏆 Chantarasak's children's names are featured on the wines: Rufus (red-headed) for the red wine and Orshia (a purple flour variety) for the white.
• ✨ The restaurant's success, culminating in a Michelin star, represents the achievement of his lifelong goal, making the sacrifices of long hours and missed holidays worthwhile.
• 🌟 Anglo Thai successfully brings together the best of both his British and Thai worlds.