Leaving Nahm...and heading to Bangkok!

After more than 18months the coming week will be my final one at Nahm London.... Heading back to SEAsia: I finish at the restaurant on the 1st of March, and fly to Bangkok for 2 months in Thailand (plus a side trip of 2 weeks in Vietnam) on the 3rd March. I'm going to be spending some time in the kitchen at Nahm Bangkok, but also in two other restaurants in Bangkok and one in Chumphon....plus as I say, two weeks eating in Vietnam. Plans still being finalised but suffice to say it should be an absolutely awesome trip, and one where can take my knowledge of Thai and Vietnamese food up up a notch. I'm planning to put loads of stuff up on my blog while out there....pics, recipes, videos of street food and insights from the kitchens of some amazing restaurants. So watch this space. Leaving Nahm: I'm sorry to be leaving such a special restaurant. I've learnt a amazing amount working for Matthew Albert (the head chef), David Thompson and alongside some really good chefs over the last 18 months at Nahm. Coming out of Masterchef as an amateur cook I felt it was important to understand how far I still had to go, and so working in a top kitchen alongside some great chefs doing a cuisine I'm passionate about was, for me, the only thing to do. I've still got a long way to go in terms of where I want to be as a chef, but I've definitely come a long way from where i started before joining Nahm, and I worked a good number of sections...entrées, salads, relishes, soup, stir-fry and pastry. There's no other restaurant in Europe where you can learn Nahm's unique food, the cooking techniques or be exposed to such an amazing array of South-East Asian produce, and with some amazing Thai chefs in the kitchen it's been very special place to work. There's a great team of people there and I will miss it. I believe the greatest compliment you can pay David Thompson is to state the fact that he has inspired almost every chef that has ever worked for him. I am no exception; David has totally changed the way I look at Thai food and the experience has made me 100% certain that South-East Asian (and especially Thai) food is my passion & my vocation. DT: the main man. And when I get back.... When I'm back from my two months away I'm going to be doing some private catering and other freelance cooking work for a couple of months, perhaps even longer. So! If you're interested in having a dinner party or alike catered by me, or some South-East Asian cookery lessons over the summer, then please feel free to drop me an email: oliverandyj@googlemail.com And after that? Well I'm planning to work in another top Thai or SEAsian restaurant, exactly where I'm not yet sure. Andy