Latest news with #BaanLao
South China Morning Post
27-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
4 Asian chefs lighting up Vancouver with Thai, Korean and Hong Kong flavours
There is plenty of Asian culinary talent in Vancouver, Canada, with many chefs inspired by its abundance of fresh seafood and local produce. We highlight four rising Asian chefs: one from Thailand, one from South Korea and two from Hong Kong. 1. Nutcha Phanthoupheng, Baan Lao Baan Lao was recently named best destination restaurant by Canada's 100 Best, and the best restaurant in Canada at the World Culinary Awards in 2024. Quite the accomplishment for Nutcha Phanthoupheng, who was a nurse and cancer researcher for 13 years before following her culinary dream in 2019. Stir-fried chicken in steamed rice paper dumpling from Baan Lao. Photo: Handout She opened the restaurant in British Columbia's biggest city to promote royal Thai cuisine which, unlike Thai staples such as pad Thai and tom yum goong, is beautifully presented in small plates and subtly flavoured. Her background in medicine also informs her cooking. 'Food is a big factor of cancer, and I want to do something to take care of people, do something beautiful, helpful and healthy,' she explains. 'Food is medicine so I want to open a restaurant that is beautiful and healthy for customers.' Originally from Isaan in northeast Thailand, Nutcha grew up cooking with her mother and helped grow vegetables and raise animals on their farm. They ate simple food such as steamed vegetables and fish, and seasoned dishes with a simple mix of chillies, garlic and fish sauce. When she and her young family moved to Richmond, British Columbia, in 2014, her husband, John, who is the honorary consul for Laos, encouraged her to follow her passion to become a chef and open a restaurant.
Vancouver Sun
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
19 B.C. restaurants land on Canada's 100 Best list
B.C. may have missed the top spot on this year's Canada's 100 Best Restaurants list. Article content Article content But the province's restaurant scene still showed up strongly on the eatery assemblage, taking 19 total spots on the list. Article content Restaurant Pearl Morissette in Jordan Station, Ont., was named the top restaurant in the country on the 2025 list. Article content 'Our new No. 1 restaurant is a sensational place, that's convincingly established a whole region on the culinary map,' says Jacob Richler, editor-in-chief and publisher, Canada's 100 Best. 'The quality of the food, its thoughtfulness and inventiveness, is reliably extraordinary, at every visit.' Article content A former No. 1 destination on the list, Published on Main, remains the top-ranked eatery for B.C., coming in at No. 9. AnnaLena came in just behind it, at No. 10. The Kitsilano favourite is one of three restaurants new to the top 10 this year. Richler says the latest ranking also includes 31 eateries that didn't make the cut last year. Article content As is often the case with the 100 best list, there are a lot of familiar names among the ranks. B.C. foodies will likely nod their heads in agreement with the other 17 eateries in the province that landed on this year's ranking including Kissa Tanto (No. 18), Baan Lao (26), and Hawksworth (66). Article content Article content Article content 9. Published on Main (Vancouver) Read our review of Published, first published Aug. 26, 2020, HERE. Article content 10. AnnaLena (Vancouver) Read our review of AnnaLena, first published April 16, 2015, HERE. Article content 12. St. Lawrence (Vancouver) Read our review of St. Lawrence, first published Oct. 12, 2021, HERE. Article content 18. Kissa Tanto (Vancouver) Read our review of Kissa Tanto, first published May, 19, 2016, HERE. Article content 26. Baan Lao (Richmond) Read our review of Baan Lao, first published April 7, 2021, HERE. Article content 28. Le Crocodile, by Rob Feenie (Vancouver) Read our review of Le Crocodile, by Rob Feenie, first published Dec. 3, 2024, HERE. Article content 32. Botanist (Vancouver) Read our review of Botanist, first published May 25, 2017, HERE. Article content Article content Article content Article content 55. Boulevard (Vancouver) Read our review of Boulevard, first published Oct. 7, 2014, HERE. Article content 'Eating out in Canada has never been better. At a time when we are all destined to spend a little more time travelling in our own country, and thinking deeply about what it means to us, our restaurants are definitely doing their part for our clarity and pride,' says Richler. 'If you look at our list you'll find great dining choices wherever you're headed. And I mean the list from top to bottom.
