Bookie is chef owner of Namo Eat @ The Eagle pub in Brighton, and an occasional guest chef at the Brighton Community Kitchen.
TELL US ABOUT THE FOOD YOU COOK AND WHY YOU LOVE IT
Amazing looking, amazing tasting, creative, modern Thai street food made with real love, care & attention. We aim to be the best & most authentic Thai in Sussex. I strongly believe that Thai food is one of the best cuisines in the world & that people love the healthy, fresh and delicious flavours.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN / WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
I was born & grew up in Lampang, known locally as, “mueng rot ma”, meaning “horse carriage city”, a small town in the North of Thailand.
EARLIEST FOOD MEMORY
Earliest food memory would be food we had at home, always cooked from scratch, using fresh ingredients that we grew in our garden. They were simple meals but so delicious. During school term, I lived with my dad in the city of Lampang. On the way to school we often stopped at a street stall next to my school for breakfast called Loong Kaew (Uncle Kaew’s shop) where I really enjoyed his special Kao Pad (a type of egg fried rice) & Moo Ping (grilled pork on skewers) dipped with hot Sriracha sauce. I literally ate the same type of dishes everyday as it was sooooo good.
Tell us about the food you grew up with in that region of Thailand
Where I grew up, our food was always cooked with fresh ingredients with a lot of herbs & vegetables added to the dishes. Most curries are cooked as a broth with meats, fish, herbs & vegetables. In Northern Thai cuisine we don’t really add coconut milk in our savoury dishes (well…just a few dishes), not like in Central or Southern Thailand.
HOW DID YOU END UP IN BRIGHTON?
Remembering the first day I came to Brighton, a beautiful blue sky summer’s day. The weather was so lovely and it was love at first sight, so I decided then to make it home.
TELL US ABOUT THE JOURNEY TO OPENING YOUR OWN FOOD BUSINESS
I have worked in hospitality for over 10 years, also offering Thai cookery lessons in Brighton & Hove. In 2010, I was approached by the Donatello group to set up and run “Street Thai” in The Lanes for a few years, before taking time off to look after my son full time. Time flew by, and I was ready to come back to do what I love in 2019. I got in touch with Jay from Oui Chef and he introduced me to Aimee & Claudia as they were looking for a quality Asian restaurant at The Eagle pub. That’s how things started, and here we are 🙂
WHAT PASSIONS DO YOU HAVE OUTSIDE OF WORK?
I love travelling, seeing the world, learning new things and languages. I am also a big fan of eating out (good food) and love photography.
BEST KITCHEN MEMORY
The first time I had my first popup at The Yacht Club in the Marina where I had over 75 people booked in. There were only three of us in the kitchen but everything went really well, thanks to Meow and George who were so brilliant. That evening, I was really overwhelmed by the love and support I had and that led me to follow my dream and set up Namo Eat.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE COMFORT FOOD?
My hang over cure/comfort food is Pad Krapao with crispy fried egg on top as the recipe given. Simple, straight forward and delicious. BUT if you cant be bother to cook you know where to find me!
IF YOU WEREN’T WORKING IN FOOD, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU BE DOING?
IMPOSSIBLE! Food is such a passion for me. If I wasn’t cheffing though I possibly would be a food stylist as I love creating and presenting beautiful food. If you are preparing beautiful tasting food it should look amazing as well.
WHAT ASPIRATIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR CAREER / BUSINESS IN THE FUTURE?
I would like to bring my passion and food to more people. That would be my dream.
NAME A RECIPE EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE IN THEIR REPERTOIRE
Pad Krapao – stir fried minced pork with chilli, garlic and Thai holy basil (don’t forget a crispy fried egg over the rice).
WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR INSPIRATION?
I love to see creative, passionate, innovative and unique chefs from all culinary backgrounds, and from the simple and freshly prepared local dishes in Thailand.
MOST MEMORABLE MEAL
At my grandmother’s house, where she always cooked fresh in her kitchen. I was fascinated and learnt many skills from her. It wasn’t just the cooking, which was fun, but the best thing was bringing the whole family together. From grandparents to grandchildren, I loved the way the dishes we created had the power to connect people.
FAVOURITE PLACES TO EAT IN BRIGHTON & HOVE
I love Cin Cin, Bincho Yakitori, The Flint House, Wild Flor, The Chilli Pickle, The Set, and Goemon.
Follow Bookie
@namo_eat
Published: 22nd February 2022
