My Story

I grew up on a rice farm in north east Thailand with my mum, dad and sister yui, my upbringing was amazing, watching my parents run the farm and always eating fresh food.

After high school I moved to Bangkok where I completed my degree, it was also here that I fell in love with my native cuisine.

after university I worked in an office job and would spend every evening with my friends eating street food and laughing, I have such fond memories of my time in Bangkok.

I met my husband Gary and after a time spent travelling to and from Thailand and England we decided I should move to England, Knowing I may struggle to find a job using my qualification we decided it would be worth me retraining to follow my passion and become a thai chef.

We wanted to get the best training available and thankfully I had the opportunity  to train with my culinary hero, celebrity chef Yingsak.

I completed full training at his Bangkok training centre and actually went on to cook alongside him on thai national television, I was so thankful of this experience and wouldn't change it for the world.

Yingsak taught me to perfect key thai flavour combinations and techniques to become a complete thai chef, Thank you Chef Yingsak

After completing my training I returned to England and planned to start work as soon as I had a permit to do so,  Fate had other plans and I had my first child, Archie and a few years later my second, Asia.

Eventually I had the opportunity to open a take away which grew into a small restaurant with furniture which we made ourselves, we later went on to take over a closed down pub where Nartnapa Thai Kitchen still trades today, that of course being The Cottage Inn, a place we love and call home.

​

Award winning

During covid Myself and a small team started to produce a chilled delivery service within a 40 mile radium of the cottage inn,  After a vote by the public it was announced that we won a competition for best caterers in North Devon during covid  and was acknowledged in the Houses of Parliament for our efforts throughout,  which is something we are very proud of.

​

Today I have a much improved kitchen and head up a lovely team here at the cottage inn, our menu for 2024 will not be a full Thai menu and more of a Thai inspired menu as we have found our customers now prefer a smaller well formed option,  Our best sellers of Pad Thai and a thai curry are always available but our menu options change monthly, this also gives my team a challenge, a chance to be creative and it also feeds the passion.

​

Thank you for reading about me, if you feel you might enjoy a meal with us please check out our opening days and get booked in.