David Thompson (chef)
David Thompson | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Chef, restaurateur, culinary author |
| Known for | Mastery of Thai cuisine; first Thai restaurant (Nahm London) to receive a Michelin star |
David Thompson is a distinguished Australian chef, restaurateur, and culinary author, celebrated for his mastery of Thai cuisine. His London establishment, Nahm, which debuted in 2001, holds the distinction of being the first Thai restaurant to receive a Michelin star. Nahm Bangkok maintained a position on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list for seven straight years. British culinary critic Grace Dent has acknowledged Thompson's pivotal role in redefining Thai gastronomy within the UK.
Career
Following an immersive two-and-a-half-year period in Thailand dedicated to studying both the language and culinary traditions, Thompson returned to Australia where he launched Darley Street Thai in Sydney (1992) and Sailors Thai (1995). His growing reputation caught the attention of Singaporean hotelier Christina Ong, who invited him to establish a restaurant under her COMO Hotels brand.
In 2001, Nahm opened at London’s Halkin Hotel and achieved a Michelin star in under six months. Thompson was honored as "London Chef of the Year" at the 2003 Carlton Evening Standard Food Awards. Grace Dent highlighted his transformative influence on the UK’s perception of Thai cuisine by pushing its conventional limits.
Thompson introduced Nahm Bangkok in 2010 at the Metropolitan Hotel, part of COMO Hotels. He chose to close Nahm London in 2012 to concentrate on this Bangkok venue, which was recognized as Asia's best restaurant in 2014 and retained a Michelin star when Thailand was first featured in the guide in 2017.
In 2014, Thompson established the Aylmer Aaharn Thai food group, extending its presence across six countries including Thailand and Australia. He also served as the headline chef for the inaugural Wonder Feasts event at Thailand’s Wonderfruit festival.
Thompson appeared on Bloomberg Television’s High Flyers series in 2015. That same year, he launched Long Chim, a casual Thai dining chain with outlets opening in Singapore, Perth, Sydney (2016), Melbourne (2017), and Seoul (2018). The Singapore and Melbourne locations ceased operations in 2019, followed by Seoul in 2020.
In recognition of his dedication to Thai cuisine, Thompson received the Lifetime Achievement Award at Asia's 50 Best Restaurants Awards in 2016. After departing from Nahm Bangkok in 2018, he inaugurated Aaharn in Hong Kong. In 2023, he introduced Chop Chop Cook Shop located in Bangkok’s Chinatown. Long Chim Sydney closed its doors in December 2024 due to escalating rental expenses.
Personal life
Thompson is married to Tanongsak Yordwai (), who is also his business partner from Thailand.
Books
Thompson’s debut publication was Classic Thai Cuisine (1993), followed by Thai Food (2002), an extensive examination of Thai culinary history, culture, and recipes. His third book, Thai Street Food (2010), presents a selection of 100 street food recipes that are among his favorites.