Somporn’s soul speaks Thai

KOCHI: Having landed in Kochi over three months back, Somporn Damkaew, the new Chef de Cuisine at Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty’s speciality Thai Soul restaurant, has not ventured out much. He has been busy in his kitchen curating a new menu, planning food fests and mentoring the team. With over 25 years of experience and having worked in Dubai, Chile, Doha, Mumbai and Phuket, Somporn has amassed laudable expertise in Asian cuisine despite never going to culinary school. He sits down for a quick chat with Kochi Express.  

“As a kid, I never enjoyed cooking. I became a chef completely by chance. I wanted to travel the world and I realised that Thai cuisine was very popular. Hence, I got into hospitality as it would allow me to visit and stay at different places,” says chef Somporn.  It was only during his stint in Dubai, under the mentorship of renowned Thai chef Supattra Boonsrang that Somporn truly got a taste of the unique flavours of his country and his own flair for cooking. Taking over from his mentor at Thai Soul, Somporn has envisioned a revamped pan-Asain menu for the restaurant. 

“Most Asian cuisines are inter-related. Thailand has taken many elements from its neighbouring countries including India. With the new menu, which has more than half new dishes, I want diners to be able to choose from a comprehensive selection,” says Somporn who grew up in southern Thailand While some chefs take pride in their slow cooking methods, spending hours in the kitchen to perfect their culinary inventions; Somporn describes his labour of love as quick. 

“When I cook, I have to be active. Moving and running around in the kitchen is part of my process. Also, when we order food we want it to come as soon as possible so I am thinking of the diner who is waiting at the table,” adds Somporn. Giving his two cents on food trends taking over the globe, chef Somporn thinks people are moving towards adopting a healthy lifestyle. He has also noticed a shift from fusion preparations to authentic flavours. “Chefs mixed different cuisines to introduce new taste profiles to their diners but with the proliferation of social media, people are now familiar with distinct cuisines. Fusion food is outdated.”