The best conversations happen at the kitchen table

The Tale of Two Pais

Part 1 - PAI - Thailand

“Your mom, the aunts and the markets.”

Q. Reading your fantastic Cookbook ‘Kiin,’ it seems you had many cooks in your family that you watched and were inspired by at a young age. I was wondering if you could share the importance of these lessons as you look back now. I’m also curious about the role the markets played in your love for food as a child?

CN. There are some things that your family passes down to you that you don't always appreciate at the time, but now that I'm older and I look back on those moments and the lessons I was taught, I am very grateful for them. Sometimes you can't escape family obligations, so it's important to be open to learning and to go with the flow. You may not necessarily want to learn it at the time, but be open-minded and listen to what the universe gives to you. I used to hate being in the kitchen—all I wanted to do was play outside with my friends. But without the knowledge and discipline that my mom and my aunts taught and instilled in me, I wouldn't have the career that I have today.

I was just a very curious child and when I accompanied my mom to the wet markets, the food stalls were the only other things that were open at that time so early in the morning. I just remember I was drawn in by all the delicious aromas from the food stalls, and it felt like a theatre show just watching the vendors make their food. It was a one-man show conducting on a stage and the food that they made smelled so good to me. It was so magical to me, and that was what particularly drew me to these food stalls at the market.