About Me and How I Got Into Thai Cooking
Yam Fern Chan was the signature dish from my old restaurant. It was delicious and quite a unique dish. Learn how to make it here.
Growing Up Cooking Thai Food
I have such fond memories growing up and cooking. As a child I loved to cook. My Mama started me off when I was young but by the time I was around twelve years old I was already trying my own recipes.
I would try to cook things I saw on TV or in cooking books. Always cooking by myself and always experimenting with different ingredients, trying my own variations of traditional dishes.
At university I was pretty popular within my circle of friends. Probably because I cooked for them all the time. They often told me my Thai cooking was delicious and this just inspired me to create complete menus for our evening meals, always thinking of new dishes to cook and always experimenting. I used my friends as testers, “try this, try that”. My friends loved me for this.
When I was 22, whilst working in a well known Khao Lak hotel I opened a restaurant called Fern Chan, my first ever business. With help from Mama we cooked real Thai food. My restaurant become very popular with locals, scuba divers working in Khao Lak and even guests from the hotel where I worked during the daytime. All came to try my food and I got to know so many people here over the next four years.
Yam Fern Chan was the signature dish from my old restaurant. It was delicious and quite a unique dish. Learn how to make it here.
Riverside Guesthouse and More Thai Cooking
After the Tsunami in 2004 worked dried up for me at the hotel as too did customers at my restaurant. These were hard years for business but at the same time I was busy starting my family.
Around five years after the Tsunami I open Riverside Guesthouse in Khao Lak with I ran until just recently. Once again I had a kitchen and I was cooking. I cooked there since the day I opened and really enjoyed cooking for my guests.
So by now you have probably guessed that I love to cook. But what makes me the person to teach you about Thai Cooking? Well after university I worked as a teacher for a couple of years. I loved this teaching job. But it was far from home and I had to return to Khao Lak to care for my Mama. I could not find a new teaching job locally so I found the job at the hotel.
"For me Riverside Thai Cooking is combining my two passions in life, cooking and teaching."
Hope You Want To Cook With Me
Since opening Riverside Guesthouse and subsequently Riverside Thai Cooking I have learnt to speak English well. I like to meet new people and share my experiences. I enjoy taking care and helping my guests and talking with them. I love to talk too!
I want happy smiling guests when they visit Khao Lak and Thailand. I find myself constantly offering tips, information and advice to travellers here. Even if they do not ask. I love to talk and I love to work in the hospitality business I have created for myself.
So knowing all that I really hope you will come and join me for some delicious Thai cooking.
Sharing Thai Cooking with the World
Since opening Riverside Thai Cooking, I have been so fortunate to meet and teach wonderful people from all over the world. What started as a small cooking class in Khao Lak has grown into something I never imagined.
Over the years I have had the pleasure of teaching professional chefs who have travelled to Khao Lak especially to learn authentic Thai cooking techniques with me. Some are hobby chefs who just love to cook, whilst others are head chefs from famous hotels and restaurants around the world. They come to my regular classes or sometimes book private sessions where we can focus on specific dishes and techniques. It is always such an honour when professional cooks want to learn from me. I learn from them too – we share our experiences and passion for food.
My Thai recipes and cooking style have also been featured in several international culinary magazines and travel websites. Journalists and food writers have visited my class and shared my story with readers around the world. It still surprises me when guests arrive and tell me they read about my cooking class in a magazine back home, saw my recipes online or watched my videos on YouTube.
But no matter how many chefs I teach or articles are written, my favourite part is still the same – seeing the happiness on my guests’ faces when they taste the Thai food they have just created. That feeling never gets old and it reminds me why I love what I do.
I am grateful every day that I can share my love of Thai cooking and meet such amazing people from everywhere. This is truly my dream job.
Taste&Travel Magazine
Two of my fish recipes featured online in Taste&Travel Magazine. Fried Fish in Turmeric and Steamed Fish in Spicy Sauce.
Head Chef Mario Contadino
It was a great honour for me when Chef Mario Contadino attended two of my Thai cooking classes.
Gestgjafinn Magazine
Chef Apple and Riverside Thai Cooking as featured in Gestgjafinn in Iceland.
"Welcome to cooking school, RIVERSIDE THAI COOKING, a place of energy and creativity led by renowned Chef Apple. Nestled in an authentic and protected environment, the school stands out for its excellence and passion in preparing the most authentic and uncompromising flavours.
Located in a picturesque location overlooking a river, the facility is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and an atmosphere reminiscent of Southern Thai classics. This unique setting allows for an immersive, high-quality culinary experience.
We have cooked with passion and dedication, creating a true gastronomic paradise in a well-stocked and welcoming environment. It is an invitation to discover authentic culinary art, in a place where tradition and innovation meet in harmony."
Make a Reservation
If you are interested in my Thai Cooking Class please fill in the form below. My courses often get booked well in advance so do not delay.