Hailing from Bangkok, Thailand, Purida Theeraphong is always a standout in the crowd with her charisma and the enthusiasm she has in caring for others. Since childhood, she has been surrounded by family members who are food aficionados. For her, food bonds and nurtures relationships. And, it was on this premise that she chose to be a chef.
Tracing her blazing career track, Purida worked in Australia and the U.S. for over 15 years, thereafter returning home to Thailand and served as Executive Chef of various restaurants, among which were Radisson Hotel Phuket and the Muse Hotel Bangkok. Her stints between east and west included well coveted Michelin recognitions for restaurants she worked with. While highly proficient in traditional Thai cuisine, she also has a wealth of experience in western food accumulated over the years across the world. Fast forward to date, her fame as a chef earned her the title as Ambassador of Thai Tourism, promoting food culture and tourism of Thailand worldwide. With in-depth understanding of food cultures and restaurant operations around the world, she also manages "Experience" for star-rated restaurants, just as she does today at KEAAMI with owner-operator of TIAGO Group, Katie Li, in Beijing.
Global Gourmet takes great pleasure in sharing an exclusive interview with Purida Theeraphong with valued readers, associates, and professionals in the food and beverage service industry.
Purida Theeraphong来自曼谷，极富亲和力，尤其善于照顾他人。她来自一个热爱美食的家庭，对于她而言，食物是人与人之间关系的维系，正式因为这种信念，她选择成为一名厨师。
15年来，Purida先后在澳大利亚和美国工作，回到泰国之后，在多家餐厅担任行政总厨，其中包括普吉岛雷迪森酒店和曼谷缪斯酒店。她在纽约、曼谷工作的多家餐厅获得米其林星级荣誉。Purida精通传统泰餐，同时也深谙西餐之道，多年的经验让她成为“泰国旅游形象大使”，努力向全世界推广泰国的美食文化。对世界各地美食文化和餐饮经营管理的深刻了解，也让她来到北京与TIAGO集团的创始人Katie Li合作管理KEAAMI餐厅。
《环球美味》很荣幸地对Purida Theeraphong进行了独家专访，将她的真知灼见分享给我们的读者，以及餐饮服务行业的朋友们。
01
Brief us on your experience winning the Iron Chef Competition and how it contributed to your chef's career.
请介绍一下您赢得Iron Chef比赛的情况，这样的经历对你的职业生涯有什么影响？
Truth is, I was surprised myself to have won the Iron Chef Competition, even after pouring 100% of my energy at every opportunity to showcase my cooking ability. Competition broadens our horizon and teaches us to explore and discover recipes, and as well drives us to innovate and create new realms of cookery. Asians tend to be more emotional with the way they cook, allowing more flexibility with techniques and more complexity with flavors and tastes. This is where Asian and Thai cuisines vary from Western cuisine, and in turn contribute to the beauty and diversity of world cuisines. People should enjoy food without discrimination and embrace the joy and wisdom of Asian food and vice-versa. Each chef has his/her own style, and when placed under the spotlight, one should be confident in displaying his/her culinary skills and artistry.
对于在Iron Chef的比赛中获胜这件事，我也感到十分惊讶。我全力投入比赛上，珍惜每一次展现自己烹饪能力的机会。比赛能够让我们开阔视野，促使我们去研究和发现，驱动我们去创新。亚洲人在烹饪的时候更加感性，技法灵活，风味和口味复杂微妙，精致细腻。这也是亚洲菜系与西餐的不同之处，也因此为世界带来了多元丰富的美食文化。人们应该秉承开放的心态享受美食，享受亚洲美食带来的乐趣和智慧。每一位厨师都要有自己的风格，在聚光灯下，也要有自信去展示自己的烹饪技艺。
02
Being a lady wearing many hats such as chef, restaurant consultant, tourism ambassador, and homemaker, how do you switch roles and manage your time?
厨师、餐厅顾问、旅游大使、家庭主妇，身兼多种角色，你是如何转换和管理自己的时间？
Actually, I do not see any conflict or difference among the roles I play. To a certain extent, they complement each other. As a matter of fact, it is the complementary nature of my roles that allow me to grow. Nonetheless, setting priorities is the key. And in such hierarchy, culinary business ranks first.
实际上，我并不觉得这些角色互相矛盾，或者有什么不同。在某种程度上，它们是互补的。其实，正是这些角色的特性让我成长，当然，分清轻重是关键，而在这样的系统里，烹饪是最重要的。
03
What attracted you to Beijing and join KEAAMI?
是什么让您决定来北京加入KEAAMI？
I was very excited upon learning that Katie loved OSHA food when she was exploring Thai food in Bangkok. Upon knowing more about her, I was moved by her passion for food, and this made me join Katie's KEAAMI. Her KEAAMI Modern Thai is like a contemporary food kaleidoscope, reflecting multiple facets of Thai food culture. For me, modern Thai food should have the international glitz and colors, boldly integrating culinary innovation and creativity to render dining experiences with unceasing delight in an atmosphere that is relaxing, comfortable, and enjoyable.
得知Katie在曼谷探索美食时非常喜欢OSHA的食物，我很激动。随着对她的深入了解，我看到了她对食物的热爱，这一点非常触动我，这也是我加入KEAAMI的原因。Katie的摩登泰餐像一个当代美食的万花筒，折射出泰餐文化的多面性。对我来说，摩登泰餐应该有着国际性的色泽、大胆的烹饪创新，从而带来精致餐饮的体验，同时亦休闲、舒适、令人愉悦。
04
How do you look at the differences and similarities between Thai and Chinese cuisines?
您如何看待泰餐和中餐的异同？
Different regions in Thailand have different eating habits. For example, people in our northeast region prefer sticky rice, while those in the northern part are stuck to their local sour sausages, and people in the south are accustomed to spicy food. Such scenario is similar in China, as well as the way people take their meals. Chopsticks, rice, and noodles are common items on the table, and sharing of food with the sense of camaraderie are unanimous. Not with standing these similarities, I am very anxious to explore and learn more about diverse Chinese cuisines, cultures, traditions, and geography, altogether influencing people's dietary habits, behaviors, and practices.
Thailand is a tropical country near the sea, abundant with seafood, aquatic products, fruits, and vegetables, composing Thai cuisine. We also import lost ingredients to restore and enhance certain unique features of our cuisine. But here in China, I would keen focused on Chinese palates and preferences in designing the appropriate menu and dishes palatable to their taste.
泰国不同地区会有不同的饮食习惯，比如东北方地区的人爱吃糯米饭，北方地区则偏爱当地特有的酸肠，南方地区口味特别辣，这与中国有点类似。泰国人和中国人吃饭都用筷子，喜欢吃米饭、面条，喜欢与亲朋好友一起分享食物。相对来说，我更期待探索和学习两个国家饮食、文化、传统、地理、人们的生活习惯、行为、风俗的不同之处。
泰国是一个临海的热带国家，海鲜、水产、果蔬极其丰富，正是这些构成了泰餐。在食材方面我们采用大量进口食材，还原泰餐的原汁原味。在中国，我也会关注中国食客的口味偏好，从而对菜单做适当的调整，以满足本地食客的需求。
05
What is the concept of KEAAMI and how would you translate its concept on the table for guest experience?
KEAAMI的理念是什么？你如何将其演绎为客人的餐桌体验？
Without saying, KEAAMI Modern Thai speaks for itself. Fact is, modern, contemporary cuisines have been around for awhile, and are actually creative approaches, modern techniques, and innovative use of ingredients injected into traditional cuisines, resulting to an array of new recipes. Modern cuisine also pays more attention to food presentation and plating, environment and setting, and quality of service. Today, the world of cuisine has increasing number of open mind celebrity chefs. Thailand is no exception. Like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu, the entry of The Michelin Guide in Bangkok in 2017 saw to the emergence of numerous robust chefs and new concept Thai restaurants.
KEAAMI主推现代泰餐，其实，所谓的当代菜系或者摩登菜系已经早已存在，代表着创新的方式、现代的技法，在传统餐品中创新地使用食材，从而带来一系列新的菜品。摩登菜系跟注重呈现、摆盘、环境、布置、服务的品质。今天，世界上具有开放心态的知名大厨越来越多。泰国也不例外。北京、上海、广州、成都，以及2017年的曼谷米其林指南都见证了许多充满活力的厨师和全新概念的泰餐厅。
06
What are some of the must-try dishes at KEAAMI?
KEAAMI的必点菜品有哪些？
1. Signature Siphon Pot Lobster Tom Yum Goong Soup, 2. Blue Crab (shelled) with Handmade Yellow Curry Sauce, 3. Char-grilled Pork Neck with Thai Herbs, 4. Wagyu Beef Loin with Yellow Curry, and 5. Steamed Large Yellow Croaker with Lime, to name but a few.
KEAAMI的招牌菜有招牌虹吸壶龙虾冬阴功汤、顶奢蓝蟹肉配手工黄咖喱酱（无壳）、炭烤厚切猪颈肉配泰式香草、黄咖喱和牛牛腩、青柠蒸大黄鱼等等。
07
Tell us more about your cooking and what makes it special.
请描述您厨艺的特点，有哪些独特之处。
Thai cuisine has very dynamic cooking system, using countless herbs and spices to build up complexity while straightforward with levels of color and fragrance. I apply innovations in cooking, gearing away from oil and heavy stewing. Instead, I adopt western techniques, such as oil-sealing, fermentation, slow and low-temperature cooking, etc. to better preserve freshness and natural taste of ingredients. Colors, aromas, and flavors are very straightforward with pleasing aftertaste. All these make a great impact differentiating modern from traditional Thai cuisine. Meticulous attention is given to perfecting the balance of tastes, which include sour, sweet, salty, and spicy. The art of Thai dining is to eat all dishes together in harmonize and strike the balance of the four tastes.
泰餐是一种极具活力的烹饪体系，数不胜数的香草香料构建起复杂却又直接的色彩和香味层次。我在烹饪上进行了创新，不再采用重油、炖煮，而是以西餐的技法，比如油封、发酵、低温慢煮等等，从而更好地保留食材的新鲜度和自然口味。色彩、香气、风味都非常直接，回味悠长。这一切都有别于传统泰餐。我非常注重口味的平衡，其中包括酸、甜、咸、辣。泰餐的艺术就在于所有主菜一起享用时，相辅相成，四味平衡。
08
Sustainability and environment conservation are major global concerns. How are you addressing these concerns as a chef?
可持续发展和环境保护是全球关注的重点，作为厨师，您是如何在工作中解决这些问题？
As part of today's highly developed modern civilization, I am exerting effort on innovating and driving Thai cuisine to be in coherence with today's lifestyle and attitude towards sustainability and the environmental care, other than just concentrating on flavors and tastes. Food waste one of my biggest concerns, which should also be the focus of our food manufacturing industries. It's still a long way to go, but we have to do our share as chefs starting from the kitchen.
在现代文明高度发达的今天，我希望创新，让泰餐符合现代生活方式，关注可持续性和环境保护，而不仅仅只关注风味和口味。食物浪费是我最关注的问题之一，这应当成为整个食品生产行业的焦点。我们还有很长的路要走，但是我们必须从自己做起。身为厨师，以身作则，从厨房做起。