Baan Lao:
Fine Thai Cuisine on Steveston's Waterfront Story by Sarah Gordon
Photos submitted
Baan Lao means 'our home' in Thai. Proprietor and Executive Chef Nutcha Phanthoupheng chose the name to make guests feel welcome and at home in her soon to open restaurant located on Bayview Street. Born in Thailand’s countryside region of Isaan,
Nutcha was raised living the ‘farm to table’ experience; her family grew rice, vegetables, and fruit, and raised buffalo, pigs, and chickens. As a child, she learned how to fish and forage for mushrooms, wild honey, insects, and lizards. Her family cooked together using the fresh, natural, organic ingredients that she had collected. Nutcha’s love of traditional Thai food originated as she cooked by her mother’s side. As a former registered nurse and cancer researcher, Nutcha respects the impact food and food sources can have on health and wellness. Everything she prepares is made with pure, fresh, organic ingredients, and whole foods. After moving to Vancouver in 2014, she longed for the taste of the authentic food she grew up with and sought a way to express both her love of traditional Thai cooking with her creative side. Encouraged by her husband, Nutcha began pursuing her passion to become a professional chef.
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StevestonInsider.com
December 2020 - January 2021
