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Sarunrat Ardpruksa
11 Oct 2024
Parkorn "Chef Tan" Kosiyabong has made a name for himself in Thailand's food scene by combining traditional Thai ingredients with modern techniques, all the while maintaining a firm commitment to sustainability. His two restaurants, Goat Bangkok in Bangkok and Laad in Phuket, represent his vision, where fresh, local and seasonal ingredients are reinvented in ways that constantly surprise. Throughout his journey, Chef Tan has remained dedicated to supporting farmers, minimising waste and—let’s be real—giving us all a crash course in why sustainability in food really matters.
His passion for cooking was rooted in his upbringing.
“Since childhood, I’ve always remembered the meals my family shared, especially when we had seafood,”
Chef Tan recalls.
“I remember noticing that certain species we used to find easily at the market were becoming harder to source. That realisation sparked a concern in me: what if these ingredients disappeared altogether?”
This concern led him to adopt a more sustainable way of cooking, ensuring that the food he grew up with would still be available for future generations.
The pandemic challenged many in the restaurant industry, but for Chef Tan, it was an opportunity to stay innovative. Despite the uncertainty, he managed to keep his kitchen staff employed and even opened Goat Bangkok, a restaurant that offers an Off-Beat Asian tasting menu featuring lesser-known Thai ingredients in a creatively eclectic environment. His secret?
“What kept me going was the trust I had in our team,”
he explains.
“We had fully trained them and it’s rare to find such a dedicated and skilled group. For me, keeping our team was the only option.”
Private catering helped keep things afloat during those tough months and now over half of the original team is still with him. That kind of loyalty is something Chef Tan doesn’t take lightly.
“That sense of loyalty and resilience continues to inspire me,”
he says.
At Goat Bangkok, Chef Tan introduces diners to rare ingredients from different parts of Thailand. One such example is a dish featuring a fruit from the palm family sourced from Narathiwat. The ingredient adds acidity and brightness to smoked coconut water, which is then paired with aged kingfish.
“Guests are surprised by how well these ingredients work together,”
Chef Tan says, grinning.
Another crowd favourite is the candy leaf, which mimics the taste of licorice despite being unrelated.
“It adds sweetness and complexity to our dishes and guests are often surprised.”
Chef Tan's adventurous approach to Thai cuisine earned him the Breaking Culinary Boundaries award from Thailand’s Favourite Restaurants 2024 by Koktail. For him, this recognition is a validation of his creative philosophy.
“Thai cuisine, to me, is a melting pot of influences from many great culinary traditions. We don’t limit ourselves to the conventional rules of what techniques or ingredients belong to a specific cuisine,”
he explains.
“Receiving the award is a true honour—it pushes us to keep challenging ourselves and redefining what Thai cuisine can be.”
Chef Tan's focus on sustainability goes beyond sourcing ingredients—he has implemented initiatives aimed at minimising food waste and replanting ingredients. His composting program turns kitchen waste into Effective Microorganism (EM) which, when mixed with water, helps reduce grease and odours in the restaurant's drainage system.
“We also share it with our farmer friends, which helps strengthen our community,”
he adds.
The team at Goat Bangkok also grows their own herbs and edible flowers, which has deepened their understanding of seasonal changes and local ecosystems.
“The most significant impact I’ve seen is the growth in knowledge and awareness—both for myself and the team,”
Chef Tan says.
“It’s been rewarding to see our team take ownership of the process and realise the importance of contributing to the community we call home.”
At Laad Phuket, Chef Tan's dedication to sustainability is particularly evident in how he sources seafood.
“We work with local fishermen who are skilled in the ike jime method, which allows them to preserve seafood at its highest quality,”
he explains. This technique both enhances the flavour of the fish and extends its shelf life, reducing waste. However, maintaining this commitment has its challenges.
“One of the challenges we've faced is ensuring that sustainable practices are consistently maintained,”
he says. But by building strong relationships with local fishermen, Laad has managed to uphold its sustainability goals.
A large part of Chef Tan's mission is to educate his diners on the importance of seasonal produce. At his restaurants, preserved ingredients from previous seasons are incorporated into the dishes, and diners are given a detailed explanation of the significance of each ingredient.
“Guests gradually become more aware of the changes in seasons—not just in terms of ingredients, but also in relation to shifts in temperature and weather,”
Chef Tan says. This awareness, he hopes, will lead to a deeper appreciation of nature's offerings and inspire others to take small steps toward sustainability.
As sustainability becomes an increasingly important issue in the culinary world, Chef Tan is optimistic about the future of Thai cuisine.
“There are many individuals in the F&B industry who have made significant strides in sustainability and I’m glad to see that the current shift is leaning more in that direction,”
he says. His goal is to continue exploring ways to incorporate sustainability into his cooking, both in terms of sourcing ingredients and reducing waste.
Next year, Chef Tan plans to reduce single-use waste in fine dining, with a focus on minimising the use of plastic wrap. He is also working on a project involving black soldier flies, which will help manage food waste and provide sustainable feed for chickens.
“We’re also expanding our team's knowledge of local ingredients and traditional preservation techniques, ensuring that we continue to grow and deepen our connection to sustainable practices,”
he adds.
For young chefs looking to make a difference, Chef Tan advises starting small.
“Those small steps may seem like extra work at first, but over time, they grow into bigger impacts that shape your kitchen and mindset. Sustainability isn’t a trend—it’s a long-term commitment to both your craft and the planet,”
he says.
As for what's next, Chef Tan remains focused on pushing the boundaries of Thai cuisine while staying true to his roots.
“I'm just grateful to be part of this evolving community,”
he says,
“and to contribute in my own way to pushing Goat Bangkok and Laad Phuket toward a more sustainable future.”
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