1) Tell me a little bit about your background
My name is Lertnapa Maowong, also known as Chef Ponddy. I have a wide-range of experience as a chef for the last 12 years. I have worked for different hotels and also ran my own restaurant in India called Ruen Thai but had to close it during Covid-19. In 2020, I began working for the Hyatt Corp, and in 2022 I moved to Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa.
2) When did you decide to become a chef?
I started cooking when I was only 7 years old, after watching my mom cook. I decided to become a chef at around 24 when I started working in the kitchen.
3) What is your signature dish? …
I love to cook food from my village like salads or noodles, northern style Vietnamese dishes.
4) Tell us about the new menu at The Oriental
We recently added lamb to our menu, as well as Massaman curry and various selections of Thai food that guests can enjoy, if they do not wish to order beef or chicken.
5) What makes Thai food so exciting?
I think Thai food is amazing because it balances different flavors.
The charm of Thai food is that within one dish you can have six flavors – sweet, sour, spicy, salty, creamy, and bitter. So, for me I love plating and decorating my dishes.
6) How do you describe your overall cooking philosophy?
Whenever I cook, I always think I am cooking for my family, and so I do it with love.
7) Name the three kitchen tools you can’t do without?
Obviously, the knife is a chef’s weapon, plus a good ladle and thermometer.
8) What would you be doing if you weren’t a chef?
I would be a restaurant owner or a farmer because I love growing organic vegetables and to have my own garden.