Finding Sake Seeker: Thai food and Sake

Jul 18, 2024

Yu Nakamura is pioneering sake projects in Thailand, while Nattinee Sirirattanapol, also known as Pam, co-founded initiatives elevating the sake scene in the region. They share their transformative journey in introducing craft sake to Thailand, discussing the cultural challenges and the necessity for education. The duo highlights the elegant pairing of Thai cuisine with sake, showcasing how flavors interact harmoniously. They also recount a memorable event where a skeptic discovered the joys of sake through food, exemplifying the culinary adventure they advocate.

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Intro

00:00 • 4min

Crafting Sake: A Thai Journey

03:55 • 29min

A Miraculous Sake Experience: Overcoming Allergies at a Thai Food Pairing

33:01 • 1min

Sake & Thai Cuisine: A Culinary Harmony

34:30 • 11min

Exploring the Connection Between Finance and Sake Pairing

45:56 • 2min

Exploring the Perfect Sake and Food Pairing

48:04 • 2min

Culinary Bridges: Japanese Culture and Sake Innovation

50:20 • 9min

Redefining Sake Branding: A Modern Approach

59:16 • 2min

This week we are excited to welcome not just one, but two amazing guests to our table Yu Nakamura and Nattinee Sirirattanapol, aka Pam, who are changing the face of sake in Thailand with an array of amazing projects and collaborations! So join us as one of our regular hosts Chris Hughes sat down with them at our base the Japan Sake and Shochu Information Center in the heart of Tokyo for a chat with them. Find out what brought them together and how they got into sake. Their company TASTE HUNTERS and especially their brand Sake Seeker had caught our attention before, so we were eager to learn more about it as well as their amazing sake concepts and the unique strategies that helped them import sake. We are also exploring how they are connecting sake breweries with outlets to change the image of sake in Thailand. For this interview, we were incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to join one of their events in Tokyo. Sake Seeker was in town to showcase a fusion of modern Thai food and sake. Needless to say we were excited to experience just how amazing these combinations of food and sake are firsthand. As Chris pointed out, it is not an entirely new concept and certainly a Thai Green Curry (if not too spicy) can pair wonderfully with some sake, however it was really brilliant to see all the aromatics, so famous for Thai food, coming together and perfectly match with the pairings Yu and Pam suggested. So prepare yourself as in this episode, we not just learn more about the Thai sake market, but also venture a little bit in the the world of gourmet, as our guests share why you may do well to get a bottle of sake to pair with your Thai cuisine. For anyone curious about Sake Seeker and upcoming events, make sure to check out their Sake Seeker Instagram, as these ladies really do not seem to stop, with many great events constantly on their schedule (and spread all around the world). And of course, you can (or should) also check out Yu’s Instagram to learn more about her creative endevours and last byt but not least her amazing Grandma's Recipes on Youtube. As always, if you have questions or comments please do share them with us at questions@sakeonair.com or head over to our Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook we would love to hear from you! We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.