Chudaree ‘Tam’ Debhakam is the chef-owner of two-Michelin-starred Baan Tepa in Bangkok, where her cuisine is based on three pillars: local ingredients, creativity and sustainability. She was the first female Thai chef to head up a two-Michelin-star restaurant and the youngest ever contestant and winner of Top Chef Thailand. Before opening Baan Tepa, she spent two years under chef Dan Barber at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Upstate New York, which helped shape her farm-to-plate philosophy.
Hi Tam, what do you always have in the fridge at home?
Eggs. I’m a breakfast for dinner type of person.
Would you normally eat that after a shift?
Yes, I would do scrambled eggs before bed, which is kind of weird.
What’s your go-to comfort food to make at home?
Currently, because I'm living in an apartment while my house is being renovated, I focus more on things that are quick and easy. So an easy stir fry, one-pan dishes – they’re my go to. I love fried rice, and this is where it gets a little creative and weird. I do my fried rice with eggs and whatever I have left in the fridge.
Weird how?
Do you know som tum (papaya salad)? Usually, you have it on the day, you don't keep it overnight for various reasons. But I would put that in my stir-fry, in my fried rice. And the sauce, when it's fried, is actually, really good, especially the ones with fermented fish.
What’s the best restaurant you’ve been to lately?
It’s a nostalgic thing, but I went back – because I lived in New York – to a place that I used to go to a lot called Estella. The crispy rice with the squid ink? Oh, my God. So simple and not showy at all, but the execution is just so on point.
And the best dish you’ve ever eaten?
There are two. One was a pea dish at Elkano, close to San Sebastián. That really blew my mind because of just how simple it was. No ego, just the bare minimum of ingredients, and just really well cooked and seasoned. Another was a lobster dish that I had at Kikunoi in Kyoto. I was very surprised by the techniques that he used. It's such a legendary restaurant and it's been there for so many years, I thought their approach would be more traditional, but it was just so eye opening how he incorporated more modern techniques and ingredients.
