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Written by Panida Suvapiromchote
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Tuesday, 20 December 2005 |
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Page 2 of 2
About Khao Soi Islam
From a small eatery to a popular food shop, Khao Soi Islam then and now has attracted international media coverage, Thai celebrities and expatriates to their food shop.
"My grandparents were Chinese Muslims who migrated from Yunnan of China to settle in Chiang Mai over 80 years ago as textile traders by travelling in mull caravan through Burma. Living in a big family with 4 brothers and 5 sisters, I learnt the art of cooking from my mother who was fond of cooking", said Wanida Lertpoonwilaikul or Sing, a cook and the Khao Soi Islam shop owner.
Forty years of owning and operating the Khao Soi Islam shop tells the long road of family-run food business and that success comes from love, unity and responsibilities among family members led by their mother. In the early years, the food shop offered only Khao Soi, Wanton and noodle soup then gradually expanded its menu to over 20 selections at present.
Sing was a former math teacher prior to quitting her career to help the family business. Fresh ingredients and cleanliness are the most vital factors to ensure the good taste and quality of her food. She admitted that she does not like going out and usually stays at the shop while trying to improve and create new recipes with suggestions from her younger brother "Chai" who completed cooking courses and from her friends. "Fortunately, the food turns out well and the customers enjoy my creations. The cooking education I received at Regina Coeli School from primary to secondary levels has inspired the passion of cooking in me. Schools these days no longer emphasize cooking lessons like in the old days."
Sing, together with her younger brother "Chai", her youngest sister, her niece and her mother help prepare and start cooking at 5 a.m. to get the foods ready to serve after 8 a.m. "In recent years, we have been trying to impress our customers by saying in three phases of Hello or "Sawasdee Jao", then "Please Have a Seat" or "Chern Nang Jao" and Thank You or "Khob Khun Jao" accompanied with a "Wai" whenever possible and when we are not too busy."
She added that 20 percent of her customers are foreigners. International media, namely NHK from Japan, Tommy Tang, the famous cooking show on TV from the United States, New York Times, and Taiwanese TV are among the media that have reported and presented documentaries on Khao Soi Islam. A royal member from a neighbouring country was so fond of the shop's Gung Pa, a salted beef product, that he took home 20 kilos of them. Thai politicians, celebrities, and foreign writers are among the shop's "Who's Who" list. "We do not put any media write-up or pictures of famous people on the walls because we consider all customers equally important", she stressed. She was impressed by a remark of a 10 year old boy that he has enjoyed her SAMUSA since his fetus period during his mother's pregnancy until now and he still really loves it.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 07 July 2008 )
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