A look at the interiors of Pai Thai, at the Al Qasr Hotel, Madinat Jumeirah, whose chef says the sharing element of the cuisine is popular. A look at the interiors of Pai Thai, at the Al Qasr Hotel, Madinat Jumeirah, whose chef says the sharing element of the cuisine is popular.

It’s all about the ingredients and resulting tastes when it comes to Thai food, and these cuisine ambassadors are showing us how it’s done properly

Meet the Experts

- Aphichat Amatmontri, chef de cuisine, Pai Thai, Al Qasr Hotel, Madinat Jumeirah
- Peter Boripat, chef de cuisine, Sontaya, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi
- Nok Hayataphat, manager, Thai Chi, Pyramids Wafi, Dubai
- Supachai Tontsoontern, Thai executive chef, Sukhothai, Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre

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Do you think Thai cuisine is popular in this region?

Aphichat Amatmontri, chef de cuisine, Pai Thai, Al Qasr Hotel, Madinat Jumeirah: Yes, I know from the number of covers we do that Thai food is very popular in the region. This is because the weather in Dubai and Thailand are quite similar — hot and humid in both. I believe eating spicy food actually cools you down. The concept of plates being placed in the centre of the table to make meals a sharing experience is a notion that people in Dubai are very comfortable with. This adds to the popularity.

Peter Boripat, chef de cuisine, Sontaya, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi: Thanks to Thailand being a popular tourist destination, the cuisine has grown immensely popular in the last 10 years. The food is very approachable, and it is easy to cater to almost everyone’s taste buds.

Nok Hayataphat, manager, Thai Chi, Pyramids Wafi, Dubai: Yes, it’s no secret Thai food is very popular, which I am happy to see. It appeals to all nationalities.

Is the preparation of Thai food in this region authentic or are recipes tweaked to suit a wide audience?

Amatmontri: Some of our products come directly from Thailand, but we do adjustments for the recipes. We try to incorporate some vegetables grown here in Dubai or the region to support local farmers and businesses. We balance our cooking, especially the levels of spiciness; guests can request how they want their meals. We’re also willing to accommodate dietary meal requirements of all our guests without compromising the authentic Thai flavours.

Boripat: While the preparation method is somewhat authentic and similar to the old way of cooking, recipes nowadays have not only been tweaked to suit local audiences but also upgraded to enhance the dining experience. A tom yum soup cooked using shrimp stock will definitely have a richer and more delicious taste than the traditional way of using plain water.

Hayataphat: We have a great team of Thai chefs so we keep our recipes as traditional as possible, but of course in Thailand the food is a lot spicier. We do get request to have a few of the dishes not so spicy, which we are happy to do.

Supachai Tontsoontern, Thai executive chef, Sukhothai, Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre: We strive to be extremely authentic in our offerings. The only exception is that our staff members ask guests about the potency of the chilli content in the dishes to suit the individual palates. As you know, Thai cuisine is quite spicy.

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