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• Mingkwan, Chat

Chef Chat Mingkwan takes the reader-chef on a culinary tour of his home country, offering favorites from each of Thailand's four regions: the cool, mountainous North, where "Curried Egg noodles" are the signature dish; the drier Northeast (Isan) where resourceful chefs rely on staples like glutinous rice and dried fish; the fertile Central region, which is home to Bangkok, abundant with seafood as well as fruits and vegetables; and the tropical South where locally grown coconut is a popular ingredient and where the majority of Thailand's Muslim population is concentrated, thus making seafood and chicken curries the classic dishes of the region. Thai people have taken the best of culinary influences from nearby countries such as China, India, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma and Vietnam, and adapted them to produce distinctly Thai creations like "Galangal Chicken," "Green Curry Chicken," and "Three Flavor Prawns." In addition to over 150 recipes, all adapted for the North American kitchen, Mingkwan provides helpful sections on Thai spices and ingredients as well as cooking techniques.

As the youngest child in a Bangkok family, Chat Mingkwan was often left behind to help his aunt prepare the family dinner while his older brothers and sisters ran off to play. At first, he disliked the task of cooking, but soon he learned to enjoy his new knowledge and skills, including discovering the sweet revenge of spiking and spicing his siblings' meals.

Mingkwan came to the United States and completed a degree in design from California State University. He worked for several years in the hospitality design business, specializing in kitchen and restaurant design. Later Mingkwan followed his passion to become a chef and apprentice, this time of South Asian cuisine, and mastered the skills of Thai cooking. Mingkwan worked for several years as a chef at a restaurant specializing in Southeast Asian cooking in San Francisco.

Currently, Chat Mingkwan is doing what he enjoys most: teaching cooking classes, catering, traveling, writing, and promoting his new business. He resides in the San Francisco area.