Meet our Professional Staff

Miss Tanawan Malan is an accomplished education leader with more than 25 years of professional experience in school administration, education management, and business development. Throughout her career, she has held senior leadership positions in language schools, training institutes, and educational organizations, consistently demonstrating expertise in strategic planning, course development, and international student engagement.

Since 2017, she has been serving as Managing Director and Member of the Board of Directors at Culinary Training Co., Ltd. (Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy), a premier culinary institution founded in 2010. Under her leadership, the Academy has become one of Bangkok’s leading centers for culinary training, welcoming over 1,000 students annually from more than 40 countries.

Miss Malan has played a central role in the design, development, and implementation of structured culinary programs ranging from half-day cultural cooking experiences to multi-week professional chef training courses. She ensures that all programs meet **Thai standards **aligning with international expectations for quality and innovation in culinary training.

Her responsibilities include:

• Overseeing overall strategy, operations, and compliance.
• Leading course and curriculum development with clear learning outcomes and assessment models.
• Managing faculty recruitment, training, and professional development.
• Driving international marketing initiatives and partnerships with leading platforms such as Google, TripAdvisor, Cookly, and Klook.
• Ensuring operational excellence, sustainability, and student satisfaction.

Through her leadership, Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy has built a strong international reputation not only as a destination for culinary tourism, but also as a trusted institution for professional chef education and cultural exchange.

We are pleased to have Chef Nat as our Culinary Director & Head 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.

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 courses and fruit & vegetable carving, April 2011-April 2013
5. Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy– Teacher of Thai & Pan-Asian professional chef cooking courses, 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 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! 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 has a true passion for cooking, and it shows in her teaching style and food taste. 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 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 professional Thai cooking, 1 Nov 2013-31 March 2016 & December, 2018-Present

Want to have some fun? Chef Lekky is our entertaining chef instructor for tourist Thai cooking classes and team building events. She teaches and entertains one and all.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy, Chef Instructor. May 2019- Present

CULINARY CHEF EXPERIENCE:

1. Tuk Tuk Cha Co, Singapore, Thai Chef, Sept 2017-Jan 2018
2. Lex Thai, Australia, Thai Chef, Dec 2012-Jan 2014
3. Red Wok, Australia, Thai Chef, Aug 2010-Sept 2012

Students love Chef Noi. Her professional Thai cooking classes are a big hit with professionals and novices alike.

PROFESSIONAL CULINARY TRAINING:

Udon Thani Professional Thai Cooking Skill Development (280 hours)
Passed National Skill Standard Test for Thai Cooking

CULINARY CHEF EXPERIENCE:

1. Bistro de Lyon & Zanzibar Restaurant, Thai Chef & Assistant French Chef, Jan 2023-Dec 2024
2. Jood3Jood Restaurant, Head Chef, Jan 2021-Dec 2022
3. Dose Factory, Restaurant Manager, Sept 2020-Jan 2021
4. Andaman Lanta Resort, Restaurant Manager, March 2010-April 2011
5. Dive Down Phuket, Thai & European Cook, April 2009-Feb 2010

We are pleased to welcome Chef Vincent Portes as our Pastry & Bakery Instructor!

Chef Vincent is a French baker and pastry chef with more than 25 years of professional experience across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. Most recently, he served as Head Bakery Instructor at Le Cordon Bleu Malaysia, where he was responsible for professional bakery instruction, course management, and curriculum development.

His career has taken him from artisan bakeries in France to Michelin-starred dining in London, bakery consulting in China and Romania, and private culinary service for the President of Djibouti and the French Ambassador in Malta. In addition to working as a chef, he has extensive experience training professional bakers and pastry chefs.

Chef Vincent is a professional member of Toques Françaises and has received numerous awards for traditional French baking, including recognition for his baguettes and pure butter croissants.

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING & AWARDS:

1. CAP Boulanger, CFA de Sète, France

2. CAP Pâtissier studies, Paris

3. 1st Place, Best Apprentice of France Competition

4. 1st Place, Best Traditional French Baguette Competition, Ille-et-Vilaine

5. 3rd Best Traditional French Baguette, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

6. 3rd Best Pure Butter Croissant, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

7. Gold Medal, Best of Gastronomy International

8. Professional Member, Toques Françaises

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

1. Le Cordon Bleu Malaysia — Head Bakery Instructor

2. CFA Le Lamentin, Guadeloupe — Bakery Instructor

3. Saint-Félix Hospitality School — Bakery Instructor

4. GRETA Saint-Félix — Pastry Instructor

5. International bakery consulting and staff training in China, Romania, Thailand, and Europe

CULINARY CHEF EXPERIENCE:

1. London — Pastry Chef, Michelin-starred The French Horn

2. China — Head Baker, Land of Grain; managed training and production across three Beijing locations

3. Djibouti — Personal Baker & Pastry Chef to the President of Djibouti

4. Malta — Baker & Pastry Chef for the French Ambassador

5. Brittany, France — Owner, Head Baker & Pastry Chef

6. France — Bakery Manager and Head Baker

7. Prague — R&D Head Baker

8. Edinburgh — Professional Baker and bakery team manager