All about Corporate Catering
No frills, is the phrase that comes to mind when looking at 70-year-old Jay Fai’s (affectionately known as Auntie Fai), street-food restaurant. It’s a simple, mostly one-woman show, with just enough plastic chairs to fill the tiny space and spill onto the pavement.
Jay Fai, tiny but tough, can be found bent over her giant woks, hard at work every day except Sunday, from 3pm until 2am. She is rarely seen without her bright red-painted lips, and famous eccentric goggles, which protect her eyes from splashes of hot oil from the pans. If it weren’t for the long queues, and crowds of passer-by’s who stand to take Fai’s photo, it’s hard to believe this simple hole-in-the-wall is Michelin-star rated at all.
However, the food that makes its way from wok to plate makes up for any lack of ‘star-quality’ found in the place itself. Fai is most famous for her phad kee mao talay (drunken noodles with seafood), poo phad phong karee (stir-fried crab with yellow curry), and her legendary khai jeaw poo (crab omelette).
The portions are large and laden with delicious flavours and textures. Greasy plates featuring MSG and copious amounts of corn starch are non-existent in Fai’s restaurant. She believes in charging more than the average price for her street fare to ensure she can pay her staff well (all two or three of them), and afford quality ingredients.
Speaking of her higher prices, Fai has said: “We should value Thai cuisine as much as other cultures. If diners don’t like my prices, they can go elsewhere.”
The cultural integrity of Fai’s food is evident. There is nothing fake or tourist-pleasing about her dishes. It’s honest-to-goodness Thai street-fare being made at the hands of a street-food enthusiast; after all, Fai grew up selling rice porridge and broad rice noodles in gravy from her parent’s food cart.
Fai received her Michelin star at the five-star Grand Hyatt hotel a few years ago after Michelin had spent months undergoing secret restaurant inspections. She stood out among the other awardees, who consisted mostly of French haute cuisine, and upscale Thai restaurants.
Chawadee Nualkhair, a Bangkok-based street food blogger, said it best:
Sadly, time may be running out to get your hands on one of Fai’s famous crab omelettes – she told Vice that she has no intention of passing on the business when she retires.
It might be time to upgrade that Thai holiday to first place!
We’re big fans of street food here at Impressive Platters, which is why we offer a delicious selection of authentic street food dishes made right here at our premises. Check out our range when planning your next catered corporate event!
You can find Jay Fai cooking away at 327 Mahachai Road (at intersection with Samranrat Road) Bangkok, Thailand.
References:
https://www.vice.com/en_asia/article/9kkwk7/bangkoks-most-expensive-street-food-is-totally-worth-it
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/dec/06/queen-of-thai-street-food-jay-fai-wins-michelin-star-bangkok-guide
http://www.destinasian.com/blog/news-briefs/i-queued-3-hours-raan-jay-fai-bangkoks-first-michelin-starred-street-food-eatery
Photo Credit:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jay_Fai,_bangkok_20180406.jpg
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