Meet Ai

If you find yourself craving Thai food in the near future, then you should definitely check out Ai’s Umi kitchen. Serving up a delicious Chicken Red Curry made completely from scratch to a fantastic Pad Thai that will make you think you took a subway to Thailand, Ai is in the processing of mastering her homeland’s cuisine. From what I tasted, she is well on her way.

I had the privilege of observing Ai prepare her Red Curry while discussing her history with cooking. We then went outside to enjoy her fabulous dish and talk further about food, environmental issues, and some of the differences between Thailand and America. I had a great time with Ai and a truly yummy meal made with love and care. I will be trying out her recipe in my own kitchen soon, and you can too!

How did you first get involved in cooking?

I grew up in Thailand and both my parents loved to cook. My mom cooked fairly traditional dishes such as curries and taught me a lot about the fundamentals of cooking. My dad preferred a much funkier style of cooking. He did a lot of barbecuing and used some interesting techniques. I distinctly remember him digging a massive hole in our backyard and roasting a chicken in a clay pot surrounded by hay. When I turned 8 I moved in with my grandmother. I was then forced to cook a lot out of necessity and really grew to enjoy it even more. My favorite dish to cook back then was a Thai-Style omelet. By the time I was in college in Bangkok I was cooking all the time, but I did not have a kitchen of my own. So, my friends would invite me over to cook for them. Once I came to America I was doing plenty of babysitting and cooking for families. I learned the importance of having a full, tasty home-cooked meal waiting for you when you got home from work.

Who’s your Umi? (that person who first nourished you and inspired you to want to nourish others)?

Definitely my mom. Don’t get me wrong I love my dad’s cooking, but it was my mom that taught me more and sparked my interest. Actually, she would only tell me what and how to do something, but not why. This ignited my curiosity to learn more and read about why certain things were done. I can remember nagging my mom if we were done yet while grinding the paste together for a curry dish. It would take forever, but at the end it was totally worth it. My mom also truly cared about the eater. She would personalize the dish based on who she was serving. She often made special versions of meals to fit me and my brother’s preferences. That extra time and care made all the difference in her cooking and I try my best to incorporate that mindset into my food today.

What caused you to want to become an Umi?

After cooking for families I babysat for I became accustomed to cooking in larger batches and I still do this today. I love sharing my passion with others and so Umi is a perfect way to do that. Before Umi I would have to call friends over because I would have so many leftovers to feed everyone. So I’ve been feeding my neighbors informally for years and now I have the gift to extend the meaning of the word ‘neighbor.’

Do you have any other hobbies?

I went to fashion school in Thailand and have always loved designing clothes, and specifically dresses. However, my life is all about cooking now. I feel at peace in a kitchen. There is nothing better than allowing something to simmer and stew for hours, giving it the time to develop flavor and complexity.

What is something you want the Umi community to know about you?

For one, I really care about the environment. I do my best not to waste food or ingredients and always utilize what I have in my fridge. Plastic is not something you will find a lot of in my home. For the most part everything is reusable or sustainably sourced.

I also really appreciate the whole meal and the components that go into creating it. It is often difficult to find ingredients for some of my cooking, but it is important to me to track them down. I could easily buy a premade curry paste and that would be good, but not the best I can do. By making it at home I am able to understand the labor that goes into a dish and truly feel proud of what I serve.

Lastly, I really love comments and feedback. I am always trying new techniques and recipes and it was helpful to know what people think. I cook for myself, but I also cook for the customer so if I have the chance to personalize something I generally seize the opportunity. I understand nothing is perfect, but I hope that I am able to master Thai cuisine with a little help from my friends and neighbors.