The Thai chef and co-owner of restaurant 80/20 combines a dedication to local ingredients with a hunger for innovation
In the What Matters To Me series, a Generation T honouree describes what they do, why they do it, and why it matters
Napol Jantraget is the owner of 80/20, one of Bangkok’s hottest restaurants, where he reinterprets local seasonal produce to create a contemporary take on Thai cuisine. The restaurant’s name reflects the fact that at least 80 percent of the produce it serves is locally grown, but these days that figure is closer to 100 percent.
Here, the Canada-trained chef describes his work in his own words.
When we opened 80/20, there were a lot of challenges, including having to explain the kind of food we wanted to serve. But we managed to expand our working space and do something I’ve always wanted to do—offer tasting menus. We aim to ensure our guests are well acquainted with local or indigenous ingredients. It is also our mission to elevate Thai cuisine to become one of the best in the world with innovative processes and modern techniques.
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Our restaurant acts as a platform for guests to become better acquainted with local and indigenous ingredients. In fact, eventually I want to relocate somewhere closer to the source of the ingredients we use, especially the south of the country, to further explore regional Thai cuisines and ingredients. I often experiment with the foods I create by using my own interpretations based on the different aspects of the experiences I’ve gathered. I want my food to be referred to as modern Thai cuisine.