Meet Our Professional Chefs

Chef Nat Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy

Chef Chayanat (Nat) Boonmeerod, Head Chef Instructor

We are pleased and proud to have Kru (teacher) Nat as our Chef Instructor!

Chef Nat grew up in a small village on the banks of the Tha-Jeen river, just a short ways northwest of Bangkok.  He acquired his love of cooking by helping his aunt Cha-Loy in the family kitchen.  When he was young, she would send him out daily to fetch young tamarind leaves, coconuts, shrimp, fresh fruits, herbs & vegetables.  Together, they would prepare various curry pastes, soups, and other traditional Thai meals.  They did this together for many years.

After graduating from Srinakharinwirot University with a degree in Business Education, he realized his real love was Thai cooking.  He thereupon enrolled in the intensive one year Traditional Thai Cuisine program of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Apprenticeship Program (OHAP).  Upon graduation, he was recognized as their outstanding student.

Chef Nat has over 14 years of experience in both teaching traditional Thai culinary arts, fruit & vegetable carving, and as the head chef of several Thai restaurants in overseas countries.  His experience speaks for itself.

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING:

  1. Srinakharinwirot University, B.A. in Business Education
  2. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Apprenticeship Program (OHAP), intensive one year Traditional Thai Cuisine program

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

  1.  Wandee Culinary School—Thai cooking and carving instructor, 4 years.  Primarily taught foreigners who wanted to open Thai restaurants overseas and taught Thai nationals cooking skills in order to obtain overseas cooking positions.
  2. Sumita Culture Center—Thai cooking and fruit, vegetable & soap carving instructor, part time, almost 10 years
  3. Hand Craft Training Center—Vocational instructor, fruit and vegetable carving, 4 months
  4. Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy—Teacher of chef cooking classes and fruit & vegetable carving, April 2011-April 2013
  5. Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy– Teacher of chef cooking classes and fruit & vegetable carving, August 2014-present

CULINARY CHEF EXPERIENCE:

  1. Beijing, China—Head Chef, Phrik Thai Restaurant (Holiday Inn Lido), staff of 20, cooked for Royal Thai family members on visits to Beijing, 2 ½ years
  2. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia—Head Chef, Siam 62 Thai Restaurant, 2 ½ years
  3. Singapore–Head Chef, My Thai Restaurant, 6 months
Chef Dao

Chef Laoongdao (Dao) Chanawong Estrada

Chef Dao is our smiling team building specialist, private Thai cooking instructor, professional vegetarian chef, and master fruit carving instructor in Bangkok.  Behind this smile, however, is a Thai lady who can really cook–both Thai and European cuisine.  Quite often her students make the same comment:  What they cook in her class is usually the best food they’ve ever eaten!  Chef Dao specializes in teaching our private chef classes, team building events, vegetarian classes, and is our resident Master Fruit Carving instructor.  We invite you to take a class or two with Chef Dao and enjoy some great Thai dishes.  And, if you want to learn something fun and challenging, let her teach you another one of her specialties:  Thai fruit & vegetable carving.  One thing for sure—whatever you learn from her, you will enjoy her class—GUARANTEED!!

EDUCATION & TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

  1. Sisaket Business Administration College, degree in Accounting
  2. Le Cordon Bleu Basic Cuisine Diploma, Bangkok, 2018
  3. Dusit Thani Culinary College, completed Professional Thai Cooking Programme
  4. Dusit Thani Government Occupational Testing Certification, passed 2 day testing in cooking theory, practical skills, and fruit carving. 
  5. Thai Chef School, diploma in Pastry and Bakery Arts, 2020
  6. Hua Hin Thai Cooking Academy—Thai cooking and fruit carving instructor, 2014-2016
  7. Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy–Thai cooking, private chef training, team building events, and fruit carving instructor, 2016-present
Chef King

Chef Kingtian (King) Jantaraniyom

Chef King has a true passion for cooking, and it shows in her teaching style and food taste.  She is a truly gifted chef with years of experience teaching in English and Chinese.  Her belief is that food can both nourish the body and please the palate, all while having fun.  Her understanding of nutrition, Thai cooking and fruit carving are second to none.  Her students rave about her knowledge and friendly nature, and we are sure you will also.  Come to the beautiful island of Phuket and experience the amazing sights from our hillside classroom while learning from the best.

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING:
1.  Prince of Songkla University, Phuket, B.A. in Chinese Studies
2.  Mandarin Oriental Hotel Apprenticeship Program (OHAP), intensive one year Traditional Thai Cuisine program

CULINARY & TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
1.  Singapore–Sous chef at Elsie’s Kitchen, 1 year
2.  Thailand–Head Chef at Thaksin Vocation Club, 3 years
3.  Phuket Thai Cooking Academy–Head Instructor for Thai cooking and fruit carving, August 2015-present

Chef Ratch

CHEF RATCHANEEKORN (RATCH) SESSATID

Chef Ratchaneekorn, better known as Ratch, is known for her patience and easy-going style of teaching Thai cooking.  She is always calm, but her knowledge of Thai culinary arts never ceases to amaze us.  Seems like she can teach anything and everything!

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING:
1.  Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University, B.A. in Communication Arts
2.  Cornell Institute of Business & Technology, Diploma in Professional Cookery (Level 5), Auckland, NZ

CULINARY CHEF EXPERIENCE:
Chef for 2 years at Ayutthaya Halal Thai Food Restaurant, Auckland, NZ

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy–Chef instructor of Thai cooking, 1 Nov 2013-31 March 2016 & December, 2018-Present