Chef Mike Tuangkitkun of Maenam Restaurant claimed glittering silver-medal honours last Thursday night as the city’s brightest culinary stars competed at Canada’s Great Kitchen Party Vancouver, the regional qualifier for the Canadian Culinary Championship.
This was the first foray into competition for Maenam’s chef de cuisine, and Tuangkitkun’s second-place dish paid delicious homage to his Thai roots with deep respect for the rich bounty of British Columbia, his chosen home.
Ingredients and authenticity are the foundation of Tuangkitkun’s cooking style. His unique expression of Thai recipes blends traditional Thai cooking methods with the rigorous techniques of French cuisine from his culinary training, refined under the wise mentorship of chef An during Mike’s tenure at Maenam.
The silver-winning dish was a Southern Thai Tumeric Curry with a mosaic of lightly smoked British Columbia Sockeye salmon, steamed Salt Spring Island mussels, and local Sidestripe shrimp; fresh young coconut; and a crispy squid ink cracker with house-made “Tom Yum” seasoning. Yet-to-be-released and highly coveted Tantalus Old Vines Riesling 2020 from the Okanagan Valley in B.C. was a brilliant wine pairing.
Mike’s inspiration was a yellow Thai curry he first tasted while travelling with his family in Southern Thailand.
It’s traditionally served with smoked white fish, but he put a personal spin on the curry by choosing local Sockeye to represent the city where he put down roots.
As a young boy in Thailand, Mike Tuangkitkun cooked meals with his grandfather before moving to Canada at age 15.
He started his career with Maenam as a line cook shortly after earning his diploma at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in 2010.
Twelve years later, he is Maenam’s chef de cuisine, and chef and restaurateur Angus An’s unflappable right-hand in the kitchen.
Maenam has been on a hot streak as of late. Most recently, the beloved Vancouver Thai restaurant was recommended by Michelin in the inaugural Vancouver Guide.
Writer Johanna Read highlighted Maenam as one of her four favourites from the illustrious list in her Forbes magazine article following the guide’s release.
Maenam also garnered a silver for Best Thai at the 2022 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards in October, and was once again recognized by Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants last month.
Kitchen Party Vancouver’s 2022 top award went to Bobby Milheron (Homer St. Cafe & Bar, Tableau Bar Bistro, Maxine’s Café & Bar) who grabbed the gold and will go on to represent Vancouver at the Canadian Culinary Competition in Ottawa February 3-4, 2023.
Vish Mayekar of Caffè La Tana and Pepino’s Spaghetti House took home the bronze.