A few months before Duangporn Songvisava was named Asia's Best Female Chef, she received a phone call asking if she would accept the award. Initially doubtful, she agreed to accept the award in March.
PHOTO: PORNPROM SARTTARBHAYA
"Why not? These awards are an efficient marketing tool," said Duangporn. She doubted if the award had been turned down by anyone else before her, or if anyone could ignore the title at all.
Last month, the chef/co-owner of Bo.lan was named Veuve Clicquot Asia's Best Female Chef. The restaurant that she co-owns with her husband, chef Dylan Jones, was ranked 36 on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list; both awards were organised by Restaurant Magazine. The couple used to work at David Thompson's Nahm restaurant in London.
The 33-year-old was more than glad to receive the title although she was fully aware that the award would raise customers' expectations and she might not necessarily be the female chef boasting the best cooking technique in Asia.
The title will definitely draw more punters to the restaurant, but the continent's top female chef doesn't only welcome the awards to boost her ego or maximise takings.
"More customers mean more income to run the restaurant and will generate more money for the farmers who grow organic produce for us," said Duangporn, who believed what earned her the title was her focus on "green" living.
Her staff still use pestles and mortars instead of a blender to mix the ingredients, while the minced pork is chopped with a cleaver. The traditional approach was also reflected in Kin Yoo Kue (Eat, Am, Are), which she co-hosted with her husband on Thai PBS.
Opened in 2009, Bo.lan doesn't aim to maximise profits, but to promote an environment-friendly lifestyle among customers and sustainable living among organic farmers. The higher income means more chances for her to support the independent farmers who grow organic produce, which will boost the organic market in the country.
For Duangporn, a chef isn't only responsible for the taste of the dishes served to diners, but also the health of the customers and farmers. Flawless produce on a plate is usually the result of monoculture farming, which requires large amounts of chemicals.
At Bo.lan, rice comes from Si Sa Ket province and fresh produce is provided by an organic farmers' network in Pathum Thani, Rangsit, Ang Thong, Chachoengsao and Suphan Buri. Meat is acquired from the domestic market and only wild fish are served at the eatery.
All kitchen work at Bo.lan is done manually. Mayongchit are peeled one by one while minced pork is chopped with a cleaver instead of using a blender as at other modern restaurants.
Using local products, she said, was a way to support local farmers and also a way to reduce the carbon footprint. Matsusaka beef, Norwegian salmon and snow fish can be easily marketed and generate higher revenue for the restaurant, but that involves the eco-unfriendly process of storing, packing and transporting across the continent.
However, Duangporn is also well aware of the politics behind every award so she never fully relies on them. Awards have become more like a marketing tool in the commercial world, including the food industry.
"The world is driven by marketing. It's a win-win situation for everyone," she said. At an award presentation, everyone gets good publicity - the organisers, the sponsors and the restaurateurs themselves.
But the awards and prizes aren't actually benchmarks for improvement. An award is given by a small group of people who may have specialised in certain types of cuisine. Duangporn said she would be honoured if she bagged the prestigious Michelin award some day, but she doubts if she'd be very happy about it.
"How much do they know about Thai cuisine or other cuisines outside their comfort zone?" she said.
More importantly, with or without the awards, the original concept will always be maintained.
Duangporn has taught the staff by herself, helping them to communicate with customers in English. Since late last year, the "Eat Responsibly Day" has been held in its compound to promote organic food and artisan products.
To her, food has become more like fashion and is shaped by awards. "Chefs tended to use agar-agar when they knew it was going to earn them a prestigious award," said Duangporn, referring to the gelatine used in molecular cuisine.
Once Ferran Adria's molecular cuisine began to fade from the global food scene, foodies and chefs geared towards foraging - searching for food from natural resources.
"But 'green' living isn't just a trend that will soon fade away, but a sustainable lifestyle," said Duangporn.
Living a "green" lifestyle doesn't have to be complicated. Duangporn encourages people to grow small amounts of their favourite vegetables such as basil and cook for themselves at least once a week. You can never be certain about what goes into a dish served at a restaurant, but home cooking allows you to know what you're actually consuming.
Having run a restaurant for three years, Duangporn has witnessed an improvement in organic produce. These have become common products, easily found in the market.
Her ultimate goal is to have a truly self-sufficient restaurant. The venue would be equipped with complete recycling system where waste gas is turned into cooking gas; the wastewater from the sink would water the plants in the garden; and the in-house power would be generated by solar panels on the roof.
"It's okay if we are not on the list next year," she said. "We know what we are doing."
PHOTOS: PAWAT LAOPAISARNTAKSIN
