The creators of the Netflix show Chef’s Table will soon debut a series dedicated to Asia’s heroes of street food to the network. When guests on our own street food tour first mentioned this show’s upcoming launch, it was hard not to feel excitement followed swiftly by— well duh, about time!
Watch the trailer for the show, which promises to take viewers to 9 destinations in search of Asia’s best street food.
Judging by the trailer this should soon be one of Netflix’s most successful food shows yet, and foodies will have a snack ready to watch when it becomes available April 26th. Short of rewatching earlier episodes of Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, there is a serious gap between documentary style food shows, and travel shows with cursory discussion of food. We hope Street Food, even if the show is set to the pace of Chef’s Table, will usher in more interesting content about delicious, approachable food.
Let’s be clear though, to be successful the show has to navigate beyond the pure novelty of street food and actually tell people’s stories. The promise to “Meet the Local Heroes” is the most promising aspect of the coming show— well, that and the youtube trailer subliminally suggests we should all be eating more chili crab at least 3-4 times. Cravings aside, food is the access point for better understanding a hardworking group of courageous folks who hit the streets without any of the investment, resources, and even the legal status traditional businesses enjoy.
Future seasons will also have to answer for the first criticism to be leveled at the trailer — hey where the heck is Malaysia? Viewers quickly noticed that the Chef’s Table team is definitely missing an episode featuring Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur’s (or more casually known as KL) absence definitely feels like a snub, but we’re confident the show will get there. Hopefully along with a few more eating trips to show off more of the culinary scenes in Japan, India, and, fingers crossed, Thailand too.
Hunting some scenes to savor until Street Food launches? Here’s the most notable mentions of Thai food on Netflix. You’ll certainly see why we’re craving more:
Parts Unknown – S03E07
Somebody Feed Phil – Episode 1
Chef’s Table – Bo.lan Feature S05E03
Here’s the 9 cities where the Chef’s Table film crew ended up eating for the first season of Street Food:
Bangkok, Thailand
Jay Fai (Michelin starred crab omelet, tom yum soup, drunken noodles), Khun Suthep (hand-pulled BBQ pork noodles) & Jek Pui (khao gaeng curries)
Osaka, Japan
Toyo (tuna cooked with a blowtorch), Mr. Kita (takoyaki), &Goshi (okonomiyaki)
Grace Chia Hui Lin (fish head soup), Uncle Goat (goat stew), Li-Hua and Liu-Zhu (chicken rice),Tsui-Eh (tofu pudding)
Seoul, South Korea
Cho Yonsoon (knife-cut noodles),Gunsook Jung (soy-marinated crab), Gumsoon Park and Sangmi Chu (mung bean pancakes), & Jo Jungja (rice fried in a waffle maker)
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Truoc (snails), Anh Manh (pho), and this episode will also focus on banh mi and com tam vendors.
Since we launched our social enterprise in 2017, our main business efforts have centered around giving our visitors great cooking classes. When we’re speaking to schools or promoting our efforts in the US, we point to the smiley photos of guests with smoking hot plates of pad thai, as a symbol of our efforts. But making your Thai favorites in our cooking class is NOT the only way travelers to Bangkok are supporting the Courageous Kitchen. In fact, more and more people are beginning to discover our tours and community work because of our obsession with Thailand’s street food.
Experience from years in Bangkok hunting great street food and restaurants was channeled into our tour Street Food 101 in late 2017. We’ve pushed the goal of the tour beyond overstuffing you with tasty Thai treats (which is definitely a major part of the plan), to introducing you how to navigate the amazing and intimidating hawker fare available in the main streets and back alleys all over the city. This doen’t just begin when the tour starts, but guests can even download our street food pocket guide to begin studying in advance for our crash course in street food mastery.
Still we didn’t expect the tour to become popular. But with nearly zero promotion, people hunting a unique street food experience began finding us. This always comes as a surprise because the tour description is written in a way as to turn away many of people reading. With only a few seats available on the tour each week, we want to make sure we’re attracting adventurous eaters who’ll make the most of the chance to feast on authentic, and often terrifically spicy street food fare. For a tour of Bangkok’s Chinatown or for a more general survey of popular street food, we’re happy to point people to another company instead.
The controversy surrounding Thailand’s street food bans, and Michelin stars being dished out to such low key eateries in Bangkok, must have also helped propel travelers’ curiosity because we have been busy. What else could explain our local newspaper mention below, sent by a family from South Africa?
We’re still incredulous!
“You’ll end up having a better understanding of why Bangkok is considered one of the top street food cities in the world…”
Through word of mouth or social media, so many of you found us online, that midway through 2018, the cooking class and street food tours were starting to provide a significant amount of fundraising for the families we help. This has meant more budget for kids cooking classes, and being able to distribute rice and other staples to families in need.
For now atleast, our cooking classes are still our most popular activity. But don’t be surprised if you began to hear more about our street food exploits. We know that impacting our local community by serving people in need, and encouraging our guests to become better travelers, is what truly makes this unique experience a fully flavored food tour, and we hope to share it with more of you in 2019.
PS – Special thanks to Karin and family for finding, scanning, and sharing this article with us!
Author: Dwight
Dwight is the director of Courageous Kitchen, and loves sharing his passion for food with new people.
Bangkok is the world’s hot spot for delicious street food. While street food in other cities around the world may be constrained to a few areas of a given city, Bangkok’s food scene stretches across the limits of the city itself. Vendors range from people setting up blankets along the roadside, to funky and very cluttered shop houses, where generations of a family may have been hawking the same dish for decades.
If you’ve never been here before it’s easy to underestimate how much there really is to try. Each week we help visitors navigate the streets, introducing them to everything from exotic tropical fruit, to deciphering the different types of meat in a specialty bowl of street-side noodles.
We are approaching the one year anniversary of our Street Food 101 Tour and wanted to offer some tips on identifying the qualities of outstanding street food tours in Bangkok. Whether you roam the streets snacking with us, on your own, or decide to take another tour, we hope the following tips will help you have an adventurous, fun, and delicious street food adventure!
1) Off the Beaten Path, Dense Street Food
Let’s face it, Bangkok often tops the list of most visited cities in the world. With hotels and luxury condos occupying prime real estate, how can we also expect to find the best food in the city’s central business district? In fact, many of these areas (Sukhumvit, Silom, Chinatown, Khaosan Rd., and similar areas) were the topic of controversy when Bangkok’s city authorities began to crack down on illegal street food vendors in the past few years.
So there’s no coincidence that the further you are from your hotel, the better the street food is likely to become. Outside of the main downtown areas, street food still thrives, and large communities of the city’s working class people are dependent upon it. This is why it’s important to choose a tour that takes you to places you wouldn’t consider visiting on your own.
Great guides are never afraid to get lost, or wander with you into the labyrinth like shophouse alleys of old town, or graffiti’d streets in parts of the city you’ve never heard of before. Often the payoff for such misadventures is finding neighborhoods where the street food is not only delicious, but dense— meaning you have a great selection of dishes to try in a small area. Bring your camera, an adventurous appetite so you’re prepared to try something new, and be extra friendly incase people are curious to know how you found their local hotspot.
2) Interaction with Street Food Vendors
The ugly truth about street food is that it’s difficult, unstable work. The expectation that food is cheap, is at odds with constantly rising food prices, unpredictable monsoon weather, and inflation. Unfortunately in our enthusiasm for $1 goodies, we tend to glaze over the struggles of people who provide this awesome cuisine for us to enjoy.
For example, there is a woman in our nearby market who sells a flavor gushing betel leaf wrap (a Thai snack called miang kham). Often when we meet her on our tour she’s still wearing her maid uniform, meaning she’s worked all day before coming to the market to sell her delectables for another 4 hours, before she can rest. We love stopping by to support her, but want to go beyond just snacking and taking pictures alone. Each time we bring guests we include a tip, reminding her we aren’t only paying for the few bites of food, but for the opportunity to interact with her and experience one of Thai cuisine’s most unique dishes.
We should note that tipping is not normal in Thai culture and can lead to tension. A vendor may initially refuse your money, or think you’ve left it at the stall accidentally. This is where tour guides who have an ongoing relationship with the vendors is important, so they understand you love their food, and that you value them as well. We would all be wise to remember that lack of support for street food vendors locally, can also exacerbate the forces depreciating the quality of food on offer in Bangkok as well.
3) Wandering Bangkok’s Dizzying Local Markets
Bangkok has her eyes fixed on cosmopolitan grandeur, but her feet remain firmly rooted in the rich merchant heritage of the past. This is a contradiction found in the types of restaurants on offer, but also embodied by Thais raised in the city themselves. You could argue that the aforementioned ‘off the beaten path’ parts of Bangkok, are merely a network of wet markets, each the epicenter of local communities sprawling in every direction around them.
People depend on the wet markets to supply them with a constant supply of affordable fruit and vegetables grown in the neighboring provinces (often called Thailand’s bread basket). Other goods, such as fresh meat and seafood, coconut milk pressed before your eyes, and even factory fresh rice noodles that are mass produced and cut to order, are indispensable in each community. Without a doubt, the wealth of ingredients available in the local markets are the backbone of the incredible street food available in Bangkok, and you shouldn’t miss the chance to explore a market with this in mind.
Proximity to the market makes it easier for vendors who push their carts up and down busy streets, but is also important for larger operations of restauranteurs, and street food vendors who’ve evolved from push carts to open air shophouses. On our tour you may spot the uncle who owns the Southern Thai curry cart praying in front of the market for good sales, just as the evening rush begins. Nearby in another corner of the market, an auntie is single handedly frying, steaming, mixing up 3-5 dishes to sale at her small rice and curry stall. We stop by to get advance access to a few sample nibbles before she loads everything on her cart to sell. On our next stop we may plop down on flimsy plastic stools in a shop house
These experiences give you a wider cultural perspective on street food, tell why it’s invaluable to people of Bangkok, and will aid you in discovering and enjoying Bangkok’s best street food on a tour, or on your own.
Happy exploring, consider joining our tour, or helping spread the transformative power of food to more youth in Bangkok by making a donation to Courageous Kitchen.
Against the backdrop of palm trees on Kamala Beach in Phuket, Thailand and the dazzling cityscape of Bangkok, corporate dynamo turned yoga teacher and Yellow Mat Yoga Founder, Siha Collins encourages her students to join her on a personal journey of self healing and manifestation. Alongside Courageous Kitchen’s Deputy Director and resident Thailand guru, Christy Innouvong, they’ve designed a perfectly packed itinerary of health, service, food, and fun. Together they invite you to join them on a spiritual and cultural awakening where you’ll be able to discover parts of the world that are widely untouched. Their goal is for you to escape the strains of everyday life and take the time to focus on yourself, re-center your thoughts, and restore your peace.
‘The word ‘seva’ means the art of selfless service’
Their philosophy for a well-balanced lifestyle, paired with love of service marries perfectly in their yearning for creating global citizens and living a life of purpose. In Hindu, the word ‘seva’ means the art of selfless service, whether that is transferred through fitness, food, or travel, we want to inspire you to live your best life by fulfilling your deepest passions. In addition to volunteering with a local charity, we’ll take a traditional Thai cooking class, have dinner with Bangkok’s hottest influencers, enjoy a day at the spa, and wake up every morning to sun salutations and meditation.
* * * * *
[product_hero layout=”center” full_height=”0″ background_size=”auto” product_id=”1124″ heading_text=”Reserve Your Spot Today!” description_text=”Against the backdrop of palm trees of Kamala Beach in Phuket, Thailand, join Siha Collins, founder of Yellow Mat Yoga and Christy Innouvong, Director of Programming from Courageous Kitchen for a curated 10-day exploration of wellness, service, food and fun”]
Trip Includes:
9 nights accommodation at luxury resort and hotels
Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner unless otherwise indicated
One Hour traditional Thai Massage at Upscale Spa
Roundtrip Airfare to Phuket + in-country private transfers during group activities
Volunteering with a local charity, Courageous Kitchen
Two Boat Trips: Sunset Dinner Cruise + Daytime Island Hopping
Local Guides + Translators
On-Site Medical Clinic (at resort location)
Sightseeing to local temples and markets
Rooftop Cocktails + Dancing
Swag Bag w/t-shirt, map, snacks
One-on-One Coaching from Health + Wellness experts
* * * * *
2018 Be Courageous Retreat Price:
Double Room Pricing Starts at $3695
Single Room Pricing Starts at $3995
Only $500 deposit to secure your spot.
VIP Packages Available Including:
Deluxe Spa Packages
Private Life Coaching
Muay Thai Boxing Classes
Traditional Sak Yant Tattoo
Elephant Sanctuary Visit
Personal Photoshoots
Surfing Lessons
Medical and Travel Insurance
Trip Excludes:
The retreat price does not include airfare to Thailand, tips, luggage fees, and medical or travel insurance. Participants must be 18 years old with valid passport at time of travel. While there will be vegetarian options at every meal, we cannot guarantee 100% vegan meals at this time.
Thank you for your interest in our first ever Courageous Cook-off!
Designed to unite food, philanthropy, culture, and community, SouthEATS Austin will highlight Southeast Asian culture to raise awareness for asylum seekers and refugees currently displaced in Bangkok, Thailand. Courageous Kitchen, a 501c(3) non-profit focusing on food education, nutrition, and housing, will be hosting a food festival in anticipation of 500 attendees in partnership with the acclaimed Barr Mansion, an award winning indoor/outdoor venue and The Knot best-of-weddings hall of famer.
In addition to the food festival, there will be a Thai-inspired street market and cooking competition judged by local and celebrity chefs. Contestants must submit videos of themselves cooking or sharing their food creations. Only 10 contestants will be chosen to participate, with the chance to win a grand prize of one round trip ticket to Bangkok, Thailand with a food tour guided by Mark Wiens of Migrationology.
#CourageousCookoff will take an active look into what it means for foodies to engage with their local and international communities through cooking. Whether you’re an avid home cook, or a seasoned chef, we want to see you bring the heat and share your spice for life. How has food transformed your life or that of others? How has it helped you overcome obstacles?
Email southeats.austin (at) gmail.com with questions or to submit your video submission by August 11th, 2017.
Be Courageous!
Are you an amazing cook looking for your chance to shine? Create a 30-60 second video showing us how you share your passion through food . Include how you as a foodie are engaged in the industry, or how food, cooking, and community influence your life. Be creative in your submissions. Consider including visual content that is unique to your life and contains elements of the food culture. For example, a short recipe video showing your passion of cooking. The keys to creating a vibrant video shorts are: good lighting, clear sound, rich colors, and clear indications of how your food and community are impactful to you. Cell phone videos are welcomed!
Please start all videos with the following details:
Your Name & Location
Tell us why you’re interested in Southeast Asia
Tell us about your passion for food and how it influences your life
Tell us why you’d make the best contestant for the Courageous Cook-Off
Other Video Contest Requirements:
30 – 60 seconds in length (files no larger than 4GB)
We recommend sending MP4 or MOV files with at least 720p resolution.
Be clear about how food is influencing your life.
Check your sound and lighting settings before filming.
Feel free to use camera phones and include food shots of something you’ve prepared before, or cook in the video if you would like (not required).
Don’t forget to post your video with #SouthEats, #CourageousCookoff, #CourageousKitchen hashtags!
Deadline to submit is Aug. 11th, 2017
Post, share, and submit your videos on Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter using #SouthEATS and also #CourageousCookoff while also sharing links to your website or portfolio by August 11th, 2017.
Selected participants must pay their $150 entrance fee no later than August 25th, 2017 .
Once confirmation of payment is received, we will notify you with day of schedule and supplies needed. The most innovative and creative videos capturing the essence of food and community will be contacted to take part in the SouthEATS Austin Courageous Cook-off on September 24th, 2017 at Barr Mansion in Austin, Texas.
Eligibility Requirements:
Contestant must be 18 years or older at time of competition, with proof of valid government issued identification.
Must be a US citizen or permanent resident with a passport and at least six months validity for international travel.
Any actions or language deemed inappropriate for a family friendly event will be cause for immediate disqualification.
Upon selection, contestant will have (7) days to accept or reject invitation to compete. If accepted, parties must be physically present in Austin, Texas on September 24, 2017 for the competition. Contest fees are non-refundable, non-transferable, and non-negotiable. Courageous Kitchen Inc. and Barr Mansion accept no responsibility for any health or accident related injuries that take place on or prior to competition, rendering you unable to perform duties as outlined.
Winner of Courageous Cook-off will receive a Grand Prize of (1) round trip ticket from the US to Bangkok, Thailand (up to $1200 USD) along with a 1⁄2 day Food Tour.
Any additional costs, i.e. airport taxes, taxis, baggage, and in-city fees are solely covered by the individual. First place winner must notify Courageous Kitchen Inc. in writing at least (60) days before intended travel date.
Email southeats.austin (at) gmail.com with questions or to sumbit your video submission by August 11th, 2017.
