Say “Sawasdee” to the Flavours of Northern Thailand at FOO Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Shenzhen

From March 3 to 7, 2019, Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai Chef Rada Phanpung will be in residence at FOO restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Shenzhen to showcase northern provincial menu highlights from the property’s all-day dining KHAO restaurant.

Take a northern Thailand culinary journey through the palate, with detours into Burmese and Yunanese cuisines. Unlike the more commonly known schools of cooking, northern Thailand dishes are mostly seasonal, less spicy and created with hardly any use of coconut milk. Instead, the kitchens in the north have a more pronounced selection of dried spices and local seasonings that add to the deep flavours and aroma of the region’s cuisine.

“Thailand’s cuisine is so rich and varied. There may be slight similarities with certain ingredients or techniques used but the experience in each province is unique and one-of-a-kind. Most people are not familiar with dishes from northern Thailand. You can get an authentic taste of it from the region specifically but hardly ever in the big city like Bangkok. I hope to share a little bit of home during my time in China,” says Chef Phanpung.

Experience northern-style food such as pad krapow gai, wok-fried spicy chicken with hot basil sauce; northeastern minced pork laap with shrimp paste, dried spices and garden relish; and gaeng hung lay kae, braised lamb rack with tamarind, ginger, pickled garlic, cashew nuts and coriander; among others. Chef Phanpung invites guests to discover the culinary complexities of northern Thailand cuisine with her presentation of dishes indicative of the region’s diverse ethnic groups, seasonal ingredients and cool climate. Her creations will be available at FOO restaurant’s buffet for weekday lunch and dinner throughout the promotion period.

A selection of Phanpung’s signature dishes will continue to be featured on the buffet table at FOO until April 30, 2019, and will be available for weekday dinner service.  

Foo Operation Hours and Pricing

• Lunch 12:00 noon to 2:30 pm; dinner 6:00 to 10:00 pm
• Weekday Buffet Lunch (Monday to Friday) is priced at CNY 318 per person
• Weekday Dinner (Sunday to Thursday) is priced at CNY 488 per person
• Weekend Buffet (Friday Dinner to Sunday Lunch) is priced at CNY 588 per person

Cooking with Chef Rada Phanpung

• Sunday, March 3, 2019 from 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm
• FOO restaurant, Level 6
• CNY 488 per person, inclusive of a three-course lunch

Whether an experienced or novice cook, step into the kitchen with Chef Rada and be inspired to whip up a three-course meal of Thai specialties that are simple to recreate at home. On the menu are Chef’s favourite local dishes such as som tum Thai, a popular papaya salad with cashew nuts and dried shrimps; pad Thai gai, fragrant wok-fried rice noodles with chicken, dried shrimps and tamarind sauce; and to end things on a sweet note, the quintessential of Thai cuisine khai niew mamuang, mango with sweet sticky rice.

Guests will learn the origins and essential ingredients in traditional Thai cooking, as well as enjoy an interactive cooking class with demonstrations and a hands-on session. At the end of the program, guests will sit down for a three-course meal that they had helped prepare.

In addition, all participants will leave with a recipe booklet and a cooking class certificate as a memento to take home.

All prices quoted are subject to 15 percent service charge, inclusive of applicable government taxes. To make a reservation, contact FOO restaurant at +86 (755) 8826 8700 or email foo.szh@fourseasons.com  

About Chef Rada Phanpung

Born and raised in Bangkok, Chef Rada’s passion for Thai culinary and gastronomic traditions started at an early age, assisting her family in the kitchen. There was no surprise that she decided to pursue a career in culinary arts from a vocational institute run by a renowned local master chef called Ajarn Srisamorn.

Her professional career in the food and beverage industry started as an entrepreneur, opening her own small restaurant in the Bangkok business district. With a desire to work for hotels, she decided to sell her business after two years and joined one of the renowned international chains in Bangkok, where she learned the ropes in a hotel kitchen as a commis chef. In a span of 10 years, she grew in her career, becoming chef de partie before beginning her journey with Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai in 2015.

As the Assistant Thai Head Chef, she was tasked with creating a unique menu for the new restaurant KHAO, inspired by regional Thai cuisine with influences of the north. Using recipes handed down from generations, the menu at the Resort’s acclaimed KHAO restaurant offers diners a unique insight into the culinary traditions of Thailand and the Lanna Kingdom.