Thai Cuisine: A Worldwide Star and a New Direction in Chefs' Kitchens

While each cuisine creates its own unique style and flavor in the world of gastronomy, some cuisines stand out more than others and create a great impact worldwide. One of those cuisines is Thai cuisine. While interest in Asian cuisines has increased in recent years, Thai cuisine draws attention not only with its flavors, but also with its unique cooking techniques, use of fresh ingredients and healthy food culture. If you are a Turkish chef and want to take your cuisine to the next level, learning Thai cuisine will give you a brand new skill and allow you to make a difference in the culinary world.

In this article, we will focus on the place of Thai cuisine in the world, the prominent dishes of this cuisine, the benefits of learning Thai cuisine for  chefs and the parallels with cuisine. We will also touch on in detail how receiving Thai cuisine training in Thailand offers a great opportunity for chefs.

The Importance and Place of Thai Cuisine in the World

Thai cuisine has become one of the most preferred Asian cuisines worldwide in recent years. Traditional Thai food, with its delicious, healthy and nutritious features, attracts great attention not only in Asia but also in Western countries. In Thailand, food is a very important part of the culture and the cuisine is considered a form of artistic expression.

However, Thai cuisine is known for its balance of health and taste. With its rich use of herbs, fresh spices and seafood, Thai food is generally very nutritious and offers low-fat, light food. The basic ingredients of Thai cuisine include lemongrass, basil, ginger, soy sauce, coconut milk and fish sauce. These flavors add both a unique flavor and a healthy touch to the dishes.

Thai cuisine, which is increasingly popular worldwide, is preferred by Michelin-starred restaurants, Thai food festivals held every year in Thailand and many countries around the world attract great attention, and global restaurant chains include menus reflecting Thai cuisine. Dishes such as pad thai, tom yum soup, green curry and som tam (food salad) are the most well-known and most loved flavors of Thai cuisine.

Benefits of Learning Thai Cuisine for Chefs

Learning Thai cuisine offers a great opportunity, especially for chefs. World cuisine is known worldwide for its richness and diversity; however, the unique flavors and cooking techniques of Thai cuisine offer chefs an area where they can develop their culinary skills and create new flavors. Here are a few important advantages of learning Thai cuisine for chefs:

1. Learning the Balance of Taste and Health: Although there are healthy dishes in cuisine, Thai cuisine teaches how to balance healthy and delicious dishes, especially with the use of fresh ingredients and herbs. The refreshing spices, fresh herbs and low-fat dishes in Thai cuisine allow Turkish chefs to create more healthy dishes and rich flavors in their kitchens.

2. Opportunity to Increase Creativity: World cuisine is especially strong in meat dishes and vegetable dishes. However, Thai cuisine combines more seafood, sweet and sour flavors, giving chefs the opportunity to create innovative recipes and presentations. Refreshing flavors, sour-lemon sauces, and sweet-sour combinations in Thai cuisine can inspire chefs to present creatively.

3.    Worldwide Opportunities: It is very important for chefs to learn a cuisine that is recognized worldwide, such as Thai cuisine, in order to promote themselves internationally and create more opportunities. The demand for Thai cuisine is increasing, especially in the tourism and restaurant sectors. A  chef who has learned Thai cuisine can have opportunities to work both in Thailand and other countries.

Featured Dishes of Thai Cuisine

Thai cuisine is known for its strong and distinct flavors. Thai dishes generally offer flavors that are a balanced blend of sour, sweet, salty, and bitter flavors. Here are the most popular and world-renowned dishes of Thai cuisine:

1.    Pad Thai: Pad Thai is a dish that has become the symbol of Thai cuisine. Usually prepared with thin rice noodles, shrimp, chicken or tofu, peanuts, eggs, soy sauce, and fresh lime, this dish offers a perfect combination of sweet, salty, and sour flavors.

2.    Tom Yum Soup: Tom Yum is a spicy and sour soup and contains ingredients such as lemon grass, basil, fish sauce and fresh lime. Made with fresh seafood and vegetables, this soup is one of the indispensable parts of Thai cuisine.

3.    Green Curry: Green curry is one of the most popular types of curry in Thai cuisine. Made with green peppers, fresh herbs, ginger, coconut milk and chicken or seafood, this curry is one of the most popular flavors of Thai food.

4.   Som Tam (Food Salad): Som Tam is a Thai dish It is one of the famous spicy dishes. It usually contains green papaya, red pepper, beans and fish sauce. The balance of hot, sweet and sour flavors makes this salad special.

Thai Cuisine Education for  Chefs: An Opportunity in Thailand

Thailand is like a paradise for chefs who want to learn Thai cuisine. Culinary schools in Thailand offer an excellent opportunity to learn traditional Thai dishes and discover cooking techniques specific to Thailand. In these schools, you can take one-on-one training with Thai chefs, take lessons on topics such as using fresh ingredients and spice techniques. The education received in Thailand improves the chefs' ability to combine different flavors in their kitchens and makes them more creative in the culinary world.

If you are a  chef, learning Thai cuisine in Thailand will both improve your skills and create more opportunities in the international arena. With the education you will receive from culinary schools in Thailand, you can learn Thai cuisine perfectly and take an important step towards becoming a world-renowned chef.