by Dwight | May 21, 2018 | Donor Updates, Inspiration
We’re excited to share the latest fun activity between our junior chefs and the super chefs over at Bangkok’s Marriott Marquis Hotel. If you’re unfamiliar, the hotel is one the largest in the region and they often play host to the internal conferences and other activities for the brand. The hotel chefs recently invited our Courageous Kitchen students to participate in a family lunch event they were organizing for the upper management from hotels in the region. The activity brought the families of local Thai staff to create their favorite home recipes in the hotel, with our Courageous Kitchen students helping out.
The recipes the families chose exhibited the diversity of Thai cuisine. A few of the dishes were popular Thai foods, like one granny’s recipe for pad thai, but not all of them. In fact, many of the recipes brought regional foods and little known homestyle recipes to be showcased. However, before we were welcomed into the hotel, the head chefs came to find out more about our charity and how we teach Courageous Kitchen students. To do this, they visited our outreach center in the outskirts of Bangkok to demonstrate two recipes for the students. One of the dishes was a crab curry and ended up looking and tasting amazing!
Not long after the chefs visited the community, we joined the chefs in their kitchens to help during their event. Our students began the day with a buffet lunch, and a behind the scenes tour of the hotel’s back kitchens. The students, most of whom have never visited a hotel, were introduced as “guests of the head chef” and treated to tastings, and conversations with the chefs about what they were working on. In the bread making kitchen, our students made all sorts of miserable faces as they tried sourdough bread for the first time! This was a big contrast with their elated reactions to all of the sweets on display in the pastry kitchen. Afterwards, the students came back to the banquet room where they helped prepare and serve the special Thai recipes, fruit, and desserts to the guests.
This kitchen exchange was the highlight of our activities over the past few months. Memories we made with the students and chefs will long be treasured by all involved. Most importantly, our students, who may likely think of street food when imagining a career in food and beverage, had the chance to visualize what’s possible if they continue to excel in the kitchen. Finally, to show their commitment to the development of the youth we serve, the hotel has also designated a special donation for improving our educational efforts. Bravo to all our students for doing so well in a new environment, and thank you to everyone for so warmly welcoming us!
Big special thanks to everyone at the Marriott Marquis for welcoming our students so warmly, especially the head chefs and their teams!
Photos by Alisa Suwanrumpha.
by Dwight | May 18, 2018 | Donor Updates, Inspiration
We’re proud to announce Courageous Kitchen’s Dwight Turner has been selected as part of the cohort in an exciting new program to accelerate social businesses for the most at risk. The program, run by Santa Clara University’s Miller Center, targets businesses serving people on the margins, such as migrants, refugees, and human trafficking survivors. Dwight will receive business training and mentorship over a six month period, which includes a non-cash scholarship to participate in accelerator program’s culmination events in the bay area this October.
What is Social Entrepreneurship?
A regular business is created to take profits and distribute them to the owners, shareholders, or reinvest them back into the business. When a business reinvests profits into efforts to assist society instead, we refer to them as social businesses or social enterprises. The excitement about this new type of ethical business in recent years has led to many private sector and government backed efforts to support and stimulate their growth.
Over the past 15 years, the Miller Center at Santa Clara University has been especially active in the development of social entrepreneurs. The programs they have created coach, train, and mentor future social impact makers to prepare them to meet with potential investors. Dwight will be part of the Global Social Benefit Institute’s (GSBI) first Social Entrepreneurship at the Margins Cohort. He is selected to represent Courageous Kitchen with 21 other organizations, out of over 100 applicants.
Who is Dwight?
If you haven’t met Dwight Turner, he describes himself as both the director and janitor of Courageous Kitchen. These dual roles exhibit his willingness to do any task to help his team, and the families we serve in Bangkok. This isn’t an exaggeration either! On a given day, you may catch him coaching our young chefs in the kitchen, leading a street food tour through Bangkok, and speaking about the plight of urban refugees to a local school.
Dwight was surprised to learn he is selected, saying: “Courageous Kitchen is largely funded by the cooking classes we provide and have never had an opportunity like this cohort program. So, I’m really thankful. Also it’s great to see the Miller Center pivoting to tackle complex issues that would normally be overlooked by the business sector. It’s exciting to think that Courageous Kitchen will be a part of this new conversation, I can’t wait!”
More Info
We’re excited for Dwight’s journey to Silicon Valley, although we’ll miss him while he’s away traveling! You can read more about this program, and the other fascinating organizations selected to participate, in this announcement from the Miller Center.
by Dwight | May 11, 2018 | Donor Updates, Inspiration
This Sunday in Bangkok we’re helping to host a funky get together of some of Bangkok’s most soulful musicians!
The fun evening includes performances by international and local artists, a special guest mixologist, and delicious food at local bar and creative space, Whiteline. Proceeds from ticket sales, and a portion of bar sales, will be donated toward providing food, hygiene products, and financial assistance to the children and families languishing in detention.
Tickets can be purchased for Soul Sunday on eventbrite, and the event starts at 5pm. Ready to hear more about the musicians and cast of friends helping put together this great charity benefit? Read below!
Meet the Performers:
Tere’ Howard aka Soul Mama
Tere Howard, a.k.a. Soul Mama, is a phenomenal singer and the creator of Soul Sunday. By the time her travels brought her to Bangkok, she was already no stranger to community organizing and charity work. In her hometown of Philadelphia, she started an organization bringing independent artists together to uplift communities, and create positive social change through the arts. Soul Sunday was born when Soul Mama personally saw the need to provide resources like food, toiletries and other resources to families in immigration jail, saying, “I realize it takes all of us working together to help those with the greatest needs in our community. No one person can do it alone.”
Singer Natalie Van Der Walt
“I have a song within me that continues to pour out.” Natalie’s songs are described as personal, raw, but bold enough to be shared with anyone.
Jazz Vocalist Nicki Kidd
International Jazz Vocalist Nikki Kidd has a palatable passion for music. Her musical style is the embodiment of classic and current jazz and her voice has the ability to transport you to the days of speakeasies. Nikki has worked with acclaimed artists such as Gloria Estefan, Michael Bublé, and KC and the Sunshine Band.
She has also performed with the Florida Grand Opera in their production of the Opera “Aida” at the Arscht Center and records for Emilio Estefan at Crescent Moon Studio. Nikki continues to make a name for herself not only in her hometown, but also abroad where she has a residency at the Mandarin Oriental’s Bamboo Bar in Bangkok, Thailand.
Willard Dyson
Willard Dyson grew up in Oakland California and is at home in a myriad of musical genres including Jazz, R&B, African, Latin and Brazilian music. He received a degree in Percussion Performance from CSU Hayward and a Master of Music degree in Jazz and Commercial Music from the Manhattan School of Music. Willard has toured and recorded with many artists, as well as being a featured percussion soloist with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra.
Demi Nova
Demi Nova hails from Atlanta, GA where she’s danced with Tina Turner, and danced for Coretta Scott King. In addition to performing all over the US and internationally, Demi is a playwright, author, doctor of pharmacy. Her captivating energy will blow you away!
Paddy Benzy
Paddy Benzy is a Pan-African rap artist originating from Ghana. Paddy is the founder of SKG Records and a multi talented artist who creates his own beats, writes and raps in his eclectic Afropop style. He has just released his first single called Erimma.
Joy Howard
Joy Howard is a singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur who seeks to unify people in music and fashion. She has been singing and performing all over Thailand since 2012. She started her “I Am Beautique” apparel company in 2017. The brand was designed to bring urban and traditional styles together, seeking to give identity and recognization to voices unheard.
DJ Kinky D
Establishing herself as a DJ back in 1994, Kinky D’s ever-growing reputation and continuing success has seen her become a solid contender upon the global music scene. Kinky D has worked alongside some of the top names within the industry, including 50 Cent, Todd Terry, The Supremes, The Temptations, Kelis, Mark Ronson and Black Coffee.
Coco Rouzier
Coco Rouzier is an American vocalist, recording artist, songwriter and performance coach. You may have seen her performing the past year at the Sukhothai Bangkok Hotel, and is now preparing for her 6th tour of Southeast Asia.
Wombat Band
This music duo joins with a strong love of groove and melody. When they take the stage, they bring a mix of soul, funk, and reggae that they call Wombat sound.
Rapper MavenP
MavenP Aka MC Verssace is a true Veteran in the nightlife scene around Asia, cofounding Party Republik. He is known for his versatility with the ability to excel at songwriting, singing, rapping and at event hosting.
DJ Master D
One of the hottest DJs in Thailand, playing at clubs from Phuket to Bangkok. His mixture of afro beats, hip hop and more will keep any party lit!
There are so many others we have to thank for helping to make this event a success, including venue sponsor Oliver Wolfson of Whiteline, guest mixologist Sarah Madritsch, and photographer Sabrina Boyett. Thank you all!
Tickets are 300 baht on Eventbrite, or 400 baht at the door. Appetizers will be provided freely to guests (while they last) by our Courageous Kitchen team.
by Dwight | Apr 17, 2018 | Inspiration, Interviews
If you’ve taken one of a cooking classes since we began our small social enterprise in Bangkok, you will have no doubt met Alina. She’s the friendly young cooking trainee who has worked her way into becoming our main instructor. If you’re a fan of our version of pad thai, Thai basil, or other popular recipes, she is likely the one to blame! She works hard before guests arrive: researching new recipes, practicing her English, and even hand makes her own chili pastes, in a traditional mortar and pestle.
Alina is originally from a small village a few hours outside Hanoi, where her family asked her to quit school and help more on the farm. She had never been to Hanoi or another big city until 2012 when her family fled persecution on foot to Thailand. Currently residing in Bangkok, Alina speaks 4 different languages: Hmong, Vietnamese, Thai, and English. Despite lack of access to education, the kidnapping of her older sister (believed to be trafficked to China), and her harrowing journey to Bangkok, Alina is a model of strength and perseverance in her community. She aspires to be a role model to other Hmong girls, especially her younger nieces, and in the future, she hopes to have the opportunity to study more and one day own her own restaurant.
Now you have the opportunity to hear from this rising star firsthand during her upcoming interview with Hmong Women Today!
When: Friday, April 20th, 10am (Bangkok Time)
When: Thursday, April 19th, 8pm Pacific/11pm Eastern
Where: Hmong Women Today FB Page
How: The interview will be broadcast on the Hmong Women Today facebook page. Go there to watch the interview and leave a comment of encouragement for Alina.
Who are the Hmong people?
The Hmong are a minority hill tribe group originally from Southern China, but migrated further south into the mountains of South East Asia. Hmong inhabited the mountainous areas of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, they were trained by the CIA to help with guerrilla warfare and the US’s ‘Secret War in Laos’. After the Americans lost the war, many of the Hmong fled Laos and Vietnam to refugee camps in Thailand. Many of them were resettled to the US, but the group is still a fairly large minority group in South East Asia, where they struggle with issues such as land rights, religious persecution, and human trafficking.
What is Hmong Women Today?
Hmong Women Today is a community for promoting and empowering Hmong women based in the US. The organization actively uses their website, facebook page, and local events to engage Hmong women about the issues they are facing, while sharing stories of women who have triumphed as they met challenges themselves. More info is available on the Hmong Women Today website.
Note: Don’t worry, if you miss this live broadcast, the video will still be available for watching after the event.
by Christy | Apr 13, 2018 | Inspiration, Interviews
We recently invited our fans and supporters to send in questions for Chef Seng Luangrath of restaurants Thip Khao DC and Padaek. Courageous Kitchen’s own Christy Innouvong, our Thai-Laotian team member, sat down for an intimate conversation about food, family, and her transition from early life in a Thai refugee camp to first settling in the United States.
Chef Seng’s food journey is unconventional, unpretentious, and almost unknown to most of her fanbase until quite recently. In 2008, she left a finance job she was unhappy with, and began pouring her heart and soul into what really brought her joy: cooking. Seng had catered small events, and cooked for her husband’s clients and colleagues for years, but never really dreamed of turning it into a business. She began researching as much about food, specifically Laotian food, as she could. She’d spend hours at the supermarkets, scouring the shelves, reading labels, buying mysterious products, and essentially began conducting what she refers to as her ‘two years of research’ before even considering opening the doors to her own space. Then, by happenstance, the owner of a local Thai restaurant approached Seng saying, Take over my restaurant!
The struggle that I’ve been through has given me the strength to get to where I am now.
With virtually no experience in the food industry, and no experience running a restaurant, Seng Luangrath was now the owner of her very own restaurant. Posing as a Thai restaurant with a secret Lao menu, diners became curious as to what the staff were eating at the back tables and began asking for those very same dishes. They were instantly hooked and came back often. New customers would come searching for off-menu items and within the first year Bangkok Golden started turning a profit. While the unexpected success Seng was more than she’d hoped, several of her diners were demanding a secondary venue to find their favorite Lao dishes. Not long after, she became the very first Lao restaurant in Washington D.C., giving her a launch pad for an exclusively and unapologetically Lao menu.
Thip Khao quickly became the catalyst for broadening the American palette for modern Lao cuisine. To be clear, nowadays Chef Seng is regarded as one of the most sought after Chefs in the culinary world, and is also known as the Queen of the Lao Food Movement. Having received national acclaim for both of her restaurants with the Michelin Guide and two James Beard Nominations, she is now sharing her story through her food, passing along the lessons she’s learned along the way.
We’re fans and confident reading Chef Seng’s interview will leave you just as inspired!
Read below for the full Q+A with Chef Seng:
Name: Seng Luangrath
Birthplace: Vientiane, Laos
Favorite Chef: Julia Child
Favorite Dish of the Moment: Moo Som (fermented pork with herbs)
Favorite Ingredient: Padaek (a pungent Laotian fermented fish sauce)
Favorite Non-Lao Cuisine: Chinese
Definition of Courage: Bravery despite discouragement
Biggest Supporter: Boun, her husband
Background
Sabaidee Chef! Can you introduce yourself and tell me about your background?
I was born in Laos and came to the US in 1983 when I was 14. My family lived in (Nakhon Phanom, Thailand) refugee camp for two years, because we were trying to escape from the war. We eventually resettled in San Francisco. I now live in Washington D.C. with my husband and my two sons. (Read more about Chef Seng’s journey to the US here.)
I want to share my culture through food. I’ve always been happy in the kitchen and love to serve people. I want to see people enjoying my food, it can change their life, you know laap*? Once you do, it will change your life!
* laap is a minced meat salad with herbs
When did you shift from being someone who just cooked Lao food, to a two-time James Beard nominee and ambassador for Lao cuisine?
I feel very proud at this time in my life in my career, to share Lao culture through food. It’s one of the proudest moments of my life. It makes me so happy. It has been a busy 8 years and I think to myself, how did I get here? I’ll be driving and just thinking in my head like, “Wow, how did I get here?” And you know, it’s not about me. It’s about the culture. We came from such a small country, but recently I thank God that I’ve connected to so many people from all over the country and I’m so proud to be part of this culinary journey. It’s surreal.
I didn’t start cooking professionally until I was 40…
The struggle that I’ve been through has given me the strength to get to where I am now. If I hadn’t lived in a refugee camp and been raised as a refugee in America, and gone through those hardships I probably wouldn’t have found the strength. I’m learning everyday, growing everyday. It’s motivating. I think back to what I’ve been through in my life, what my parents have been through. Sometimes we feel down about our situation, but it forces me to push myself to be better. At one point in my life, I hit rock bottom. But once you hit that point, you know I had to pull myself back up. It’s never too late. I didn’t start cooking professionally until I was 40 and here I am with two restaurants.
Family
What was the ‘spark’ or the shift for you?
There’s always room for us to get back up again. I told myself “I’m still alive, I’m still healthy, I should just get back up and move on with my life.” I just said, “come on, do it.”
My husband is one of my biggest motivators, I was sad, feeling very disappointed when I went into work everyday and he noticed it. I told him I wasn’t happy and I didn’t want to sit in the office and do paperwork. I’m in this job that I have to force myself to do. He said, “You know what? I think you need to figure out what you want to do.” and he gave me a break for two years. Thank God for Google! I did a lot of Googling recipes and testing things out. I would go to supermarkets and walk through each aisle finding new items. I would stay up until 2 or 3 in the morning trying out all the new recipes. At one point my husband said, “You need a bed in the kitchen!” Then he came home one day and said, “People have been talking about your food and I think you really need to think about doing something with it.”
Clients told him, “Gosh, I think your wife is in the wrong business, you need to go home and tell her she should cook.” My husband, Boun said, “When I told you this, it showed on your face, you lit up.”
I started catering, but later I realized I wanted to cater to everyone, not just Lao people. After two years, I was lucky to find an existing Thai restaurant, Bangkok Golden in Falls Church, Virginia. I don’t remember feeling scared, I remember this was the moment I’d been waiting for. I’m gonna take this rollercoaster and ride on it. But I had actually run out of my money. The owner was so kind she’d heard about my cooking and my story. She saw in my face that I believed in it and said, don’t worry about the money, pay me back later, and I did. I took over and just sat in the restaurant for the first month. I had no experience in a commercial kitchen, no idea about the restaurant business.
How long did it take to become profitable?
I was so lucky, it just happened. I was lucky that I didn’t struggle financially at the restaurant so I didn’t have to worry about paying the rent or covering supplies. We had enough to get by. People kept coming and heard about it and we stayed open. All I knew was that I was capable of cooking, and I trusted my food. I told myself, ‘you can do it.’ The only way I could survive 9 years ago was taking over something existing though; taking over a Thai restaurant because people didn’t know me or Lao food.
Life put me in this spot for a reason.
Everyone in my family has been a big support, but early on they kind of questioned me. Like, ‘Why do you want to be in a job where you work crazy hours, with no time off?’ A family friend asked me what I’m doing with my life and kind of shook me and said “do you know you’re not going to see anything else for the rest of your life except this restaurant?” and for me that was just more motivation! I didn’t feel upset with her, that was motivating for me. That’s the question that I needed to push me to work harder.
I didn’t have much money to be honest. I don’t even know how I did it, but it happened for a reason. Life put me in this spot for a reason.
Speaking of family, your son Bobby is also a chef, can you tell me a little bit about your work relationship?
He’s actually taking over my position at Thip Khao. He has experience in fine dining and worked in high profile kitchens so our styles are very different. We bump heads sometimes, but we have one rule: we don’t talk about work when we’re out of the restaurant. The first six months we fought a lot, and we still fight in the kitchen sometimes but that’s normal. In the beginning it was hard, Bobby came from another restaurant to be with me, I think the transition from fine dining to a homestyle kitchen was difficult. Lao people we don’t have recipes you know, I just eyeball recipes and I go by taste. Bobby’s more technical. I’m so proud of him though, he’s grown up so much.
Inspiration
Can you tell me what courage means to you?
What courage means to me? That’s a tough question.
Courage means strength, inspiration. To me it means to be brave, follow my gut feeling, facing my fear despite any discouragement from my friends and family.
Be patient with yourself and never give up. It will take time.
Our Courageous Kitchen students are also mostly refugee youth whose families have fled traumatic persecution in their home country. What advice would you give them on overcoming hardships?
Keep calm, stay true to yourself and your passions. Be patient with yourself and never give up. It will take time. If you have a passion in cooking, just hang in there. It’s hard. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. It’s not easy to be in the kitchen, to be on your feet, and work with your hands all day. It’s nonstop working. For me it helps a lot to keep myself calm when I work. I don’t talk much in the kitchen, I save my energy, and don’t use my voice a lot. Only outside of the kitchen! (laughs)
Don’t listen to the negativity of others, just listen to your heart. Be honest, stay true to yourself. Don’t try to be anyone else. Hopefully my story will inspire other young women, and young refugees will be encouraged. It’s for anyone. This can show them that anyone can do it. Anything is possible.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years and how will you continue to share your culture?
Sharing my story and traveling the world. I want to tell others to follow your hopes and dreams. Don’t open a restaurant just for marketing. It’s not easy. My goal is to see more Lao restaurants all over America. I want to promote Lao food and do some mentoring.
I’ve also been traveling all over cooking, and meeting other Lao chefs and foodies, so I want to continue to do that. For the future I want to do more consulting, training, and mentoring younger chefs. Bobby will take over at Thip Khao so I’ll have more time to travel and teach. I have people reaching out to me and wanting to go back to their roots. My goal is to give those young chefs my attention. To invite them to Thip Khao, to spend time with them.
Now I just got back from Iceland. It’s so crazy, I never thought I would ever go to Iceland and cook there, it’s just so different. They weren’t expecting to have something as exotic as Lao food and it was one of the craziest adventures I’ve ever had. It was hard to find ingredients in such a cold climate, I was nervous about it. We both use funky fish though! You know, we have padaek (fermented fish sauce) and they have fermented shark. You could see it on their face like, “Wow, what is this?” It was an experience I will never forget.
Would you have a Lao culinary training program?
Yes, I’d love to. They can come here or I can come to them and train. I do recipe consulting, help restaurants with their menus, travel to their locations and test the markets for them. I try to let them know that my experience in DC is different than in their towns. My city is much easier to do the fermented and non-watered down food, but other cities you may have to tone it down. Share our culture, but make it friendly. You might need to cut down on the crab paste in papaya salad. Ease them into it!
FOOD
What have been some highlight moments for Thip Khao and Padaek?
Being the first Lao restaurant to be awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand is the highlight of my career, and being nominated twice for a James Beard blew my mind — I never thought in my cooking career I’d be nominated. Getting locally recognized was already a top highlight of my career, but to be recognized on a national level is even more amazing. Then last year, when I saw my name nominated again next to Padaek, oh my God, I was shocked, it was surreal! Really? Padaek? That’s the home where we started, the foundation of my cooking. And also, the name Padaek, I was just like ‘wow.’
You know another highlight is opening Thip Khao in 2014. We have guests that are willing to try anything new. I have people who recognize me and want to talk to me. They tell me to never water down my food and stick to who I am. That’s amazing. I feel like this is the moment where the food is speaking its own language. Its telling our story of Lao people and of Laos.
You know being this tiny, petite Asian woman, Lao woman, and standing amongst some of the world’s top chefs is just so surreal to me. People are eating my food, I love it, I’m so happy! Lao food is for everyone, it’s for the community. I did not expect any awards, I just want to do what I love and do what makes me happy. Food makes me happy. I’m always happy in the kitchen. I like to serve people. I never thought about getting any awards. I just wanted to share my culture, that was my goal.
If you could only eat one Lao dish what would it be?
I could eat thum mak hoong (spicy papaya salad) everyday for the rest of my life! I never get sick of it. I always have the ingredients in my fridge for it. Papaya, padaek, crab paste — are always in my fridge!
How many chilis do you put in your thum mak hoong (Laotian papaya salad)?
(laughs) Before about 10-15 chilies (that was 8 years ago) now about 3-4 but maybe 5 maximum. But if I need some extra energy maybe 10, but I have to pause and walk around, it takes me like an hour to eat.
If others want to support Chef Seng, the Lao Food Movement and follow your delicious food journey, how can they do that?
Don’t be shy, don’t be afraid to reach out, I respond to all of my messages. I’m very open, and love to share my knowledge, my story. I’m very active on Instagram (@ChefSeng), send me a DM!
Photo credit: Jai Williams
by Dwight | Mar 13, 2018 | Inspiration
For all of our guests joining in on our Bangkok classes this coming April, we’re proud to announce a special menu!
Songkran is one of Thailand’s most famous holidays, especially for locals. When the heat of the Thai summer is in full swing, people come out to celebrate Thai New Year and the harvest season with great food, drink, and giant water fights! The holiday lasts for several days, so during this time people usually make the migration back to their hometowns in the provinces to be with family. If you’re visiting Bangkok, during this time we’d also like for you to get a taste of the Songkran celebration.
The Songkran in the Countryside menu is as follows:
- Soothing Jungle Soup with Pumpkin and Mushroom
- Papaya Salad Sans Papaya with Traditional Herbal Thai Whisky Tasting (optional)
- Choice of Glazed Pork Neck or Banana Leaf Steamed Fish with Fresh ‘Jaew’ Dipping Sauce
- Dok Jok Lotus Cookies and Ice Cream topped with Crispy Mung Beans
- Fresh Fruit from the Local Market
The festival with origins in India aims to celebrate the harvest season and inaugurate the start of the rainy season. Traditionally this is an extremely important time for people around the country, especially in the rural Northeast. Issan, pronounced ‘e-san’, Thailand’s poorest region is often where people forsake village life to earn money living and working in Bangkok. The five course menu pays homage to the people of the Northeast, while giving you a chance to experience a taste of these special provincial dishes. This experience is especially recommended for people who may already be familiar with the typical Thai dishes you see repeated daily in the average cooking classes in Bangkok. That means if you want to go deeper than pad thai and green curry, this is the perfect time of year to try cooking some new dishes with us!
Read These FAQs to Be Prepared for Songkran
When is the 2018 Songkran Festival happening? Friday, April 13th – Monday, April 16th in most places. However, some cities may have their own dates.
Should I be prepared to get wet and splashed by strangers? Yes. When we visit the market in the morning, many of the market goers, people in the street, and even cars going by may be splashing water.
What items should I bring with me? We keep towels available, but you may want to bring along dry clothing if you’d like to change after visiting the market. We have a dry bag where you can safely keep your cell phone or other important small items. If you have a water gun, bring it! Most importantly bring a sense of adventure and your appetite and it should be a fun, festive, and wet time for everyone involved.
Is Songkran a safe holiday? Motor accidents, especially due to drunk driving make Songkran a dangerous holiday. You should avoid riding motorbikes, and wear your seatbelt when traveling. If joining large events happening in Bangkok, avoid taking valuables to prevent petty thefts and them getting ruined by water. We hope you come and enjoy Songkran without incident, but consider it our responsibility to inform of some dangers associated with the festival.
Should I book in advance? For the best experience, we do recommend booking in advance. Since we prefer to do small classes, the spaces can fill up quickly. If our morning 10am class is full, we may give you the option to come during our 2pm session. We will also be running our evening kids dinner and demo classes during this period.
How can I book the cooking class? Book a class during Songkran while they last here: https://courageouskitchen.org/product/courageous-kitchen-cooking-class/
Can I request a different menu? If you would like to cook more classic Thai dishes, hilltribe or other menu theme, please let us know in advance and we’ll try to adjust accordingly. Please message us with other special requests, but due to the amount of interest during this time of year, we may not be able to honor every request.
