Awarded as Asia's best female chef, Tam Chudaree Debhakam enhances the ingredients of Thailand, making them the protagonists of iconic dishes. In her restaurant in Bangkok, sustainability is a top priority, and she guides every decision towards a positive impact on the environment and the local community.
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“The ingredients of Thailand deserve to be seen and perceived in a different light, just like luxury ingredients," says Asia's Best Female Chef 2025 at 50Best. The talented young chef's approach has led her Bangkok restaurant to win numerous awards, including two Michelin stars: her dishes, such as the iconic cuttlefish black noodles, are inspired by tradition and family, although they are reinterpreted in a completely new way.
Tam Chudaree Debhakam dreamed of becoming a professional athlete, but to her great surprise, she discovered that cooking came naturally to her. “I didn't have what it took to advance, yet I realized that the world of food and wine and the world of sports have many things in common: long hours of training and practice, the constant refinement of one's skills, the commitment to give one's best and mutual support”.
The years spent in the United States, particularly at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, were a learning experience for her, "It's a place that makes you question existing food systems and reconsider the origin of the raw materials we handle every day. Everything starts at the source: where are certain products grown? And how much work is behind them? So I asked myself if I could do more, like create something that would have a lasting impact on the community.
"Despite the limited space, we manage to grow various plants ourselves: bitter orange trees, cow slip creepers, moon fruit, lemongrass and lotus, chamomile and karonda, as well as native herbs. The compost comes from the scraps, those that are not used to enrich the broths or fermented for kombucha. Now I understand how to implement sustainability, it takes time, money and dedication, but it is not impossible. The candlesticks here are made with eggshells and seafood, it's an ingenious reuse”.
"Everything else comes from the country, like the aromatic black rice Samerng. Without the local producers we wouldn't be here to tell you about this great project. Everything starts with them. Anatomy of a River Prawn, made with Phatthalung prawns, is an example: you have to understand which ecosystem the crustacean comes from, what it feeds on, communicate with the fishermen, before spreading stories and information.
And she concludes: “In the future I would like to create a space where I can research, develop and share ideas on how to make the most of the treasures of my beloved land. I don't always handle the pressure well, it's a long process, there will always be bad moments; so, I try to remember why we started this journey and where we are now”.
