One of the highlights in my recent memories has to be the friendly lunch with Chef Belle, a Masterchef Thailand Season 5 alumnus and a neighbor of Rajchakru, a delightful conversation full of inspiration and surprises.

It’s mid-afternoon, and I’m at Kenny’s, a brand new hotspot on Phaholyothin soi 5, just across the street from Feast Rajchakru. With its bright orange decor, exposed red brick finish, and indie pop music, it’s not hard to guess what kind of food the restaurant/bar has to offer: comfort food, namely pizza and a nice selection of craft beer to savor until 3 am (if you secure the booking in advance). Kenny’s has been tirelessly catering hungry customers for two months, with seats fully booked almost throughout the business hours.

There, I made an appointment to talk to Chef Belle, the guest chef of Kenny’s for this month. Kenny’s has this thing called “Kenny’s & Friends,” which is a planned collaboration, inviting different chefs & artists to contribute something new and shiny to the restaurant each month, and Chef Belle was the first-ever on this project. She has created five menus including various pizza toppings, ceviche, and Sai Oua, the traditional northern sausage, and more, using ingredients and flavors inspired by the northern taste of Northern part of Thailand.

Belle is one of the alumni from a brutal TV reality show called Masterchef Thailand, in which she amassed a large number of fans. I was so excited when I learned that she is one of our neighbors in Ari.

The Grandma & TV Champion

“It was my grandma who taught me how to light up a stove and pick vegetable leaves. I grew up with her because my mom and dad had to work during the day. My grandma was such an excellent cook. Her Pla Tod Kamin (Turmeric Fried Fish) was to die for. I took on the wheel as the family’s cook after my grandmother was sadly bedridden and passed away. I had to prepare dinner when my mom and dad came back from work, and I experimented in the kitchen and cooked lunch for  my brother during the school break. I was only in elementary school!”

TV Champion was a popular Japanese TV show where contestants competed to be the best in their expertise. Ask any Thais who grew up in the late ’90s with a TV, and it’ll send them on a memory trip. Belle learned about Tempura and Tonkatsu from the show. What did she do that sets her apart from all of us? She actually attempted to make those Japanese dishes she saw on TV. Yes, alone in her family’s kitchen in Parkkred as a 12-year-old. The girl proceeded to bake her own bread with stuffing and sell them to neighbors.

“It was a moment of pride for a child when I made 200 baht from selling my onion bread to the neighborhood kids and when my parents came back from work and ate my food. I know they’d say it’s delicious no matter what I make, but yeah, anyway.”

I swear if only you had been there to see the way she told the story, you could tell she was having so much fun.

The Road Not Taken

When Belle became a teenager, her skill and talent in cooking were obvious to everyone around her, but she’d rather call herself “a home cook kind of girl,” cooking only for family and friends. The road as a chef was not chosen.

“I have conservative parents who advocate for making conservative life choices. They are both government officers who worked in one job all the way to their retirement. Being a chef for them (and for me too at the time) meant working in a kitchen or opening a restaurant which I didn’t big investment to open a restaurant as well . I didn’t see it as my future career. I still cook for my family every weekend though. I remember baking pies and cake, trying recipes from housewife magazines as a pastime.”

Belle proceeded to study and have a career in finance and marketing and got herself the first job as a data analyst, during which she cried every day for a short period.

“I saw an ad for the Asian Food Network looking for a TV presenter. It was a big moment for me because, as a TV-addict kid, I was a fan of the channel, and I never saw anyone who makes Thai food and speaks English there. So I left that job and took a leap. I made it to the top 5 from applicants all over Asia!

In the end, I have my own show of 12 episodes called Home-cooked Thailand but I did not end up becoming one of their final presenters. At that time, I didn’t feel confident enough. I was intimidated by other applicants. I was worried that I couldn’t speak English like a native speaker. I was worried that I didn’t have enough connection, experience, or knowledge like others.”

“After not getting to the final round, I swore to myself that next time I have a chance like this again, I will be myself 100% and be confident no matter what.”

And then the chance came along: Masterchef Thailand

Several years later, Masterchef Thailand Season 5 held the audition, looking specifically for people without formal experience in the culinary world. Anyone with experience from cooking school or working in the kitchen before were not ineligible to apply. Of course, this was like a door of heaven swinging open with glittering golden light pouring down for Belle. Her time to shine!

“If anything, the competition taught me to be blunt and competitive. It was not scripted, but we were all told to be ourselves and never compromise with another contestant. It’s quite refreshing actually. You get to say what you don’t normally say in real life to bring out the best dish.”

Belle did really well in her season, advancing to top 7  before getting eliminated. Because of her appearance and personality, I’m not surprised she has gained a large number of followers from the show. Her social media grew with fans who love her big smile and her dexterous cooking skills.

“After Masterchef Thailand, I quit my job and started spending more time in the food business. Last  year, I set up some  part of my boyfriend’s house in Ratchakru as my cooking studio. I became friends with neighbors like Jorm and Pao, the lovely couple who own Mae Yui restaurant, which is very near where I live. I had a Thai dessert workshop stand in the Ari Weekend Market at Yellow Lane once. It was fun!”

A Friend of Kenny’s

Kenny’s is a new restaurant opened in May 2023. Word of mouth spreads fast in Ari, mostly about how this new neighborhood hotspot stays open until 3 AM every night. Yoo, the restaurant owner with 20 years of experience and undying passion for food, the owner of the legendary 25 Degrees Burger joint, was here with us that day, chiming in every once in a while.

“I love the kind of food that is comforting. You put it in the middle of the table, and all the friends come fighting for a piece. For Kenny’s, I want it to be a neighborhood restaurant with the price point somewhere between comfort food and fine dining. I’m not saying that our food is cheap, but we make sure it tastes more expensive than the actual price.”

Yoo adds about his latest project in Ari while Belle starts digging into the food she created for the restaurant.

“Kenny’s is just around the corner from my house. My boyfriend and I were curious about what kind of food this new restaurant would offer. “Looks kind of like a fried chicken and root beer watching a football kind of bar.” I liked the vibe there, and we felt we could go back there again. One night, we stayed late because there was a Liverpool match (Kenny’s closes at 3 AM), and a customer introduced us to Khun Yu, the owner. We share the same food philosophy.”

Belle giggles as she admits a little bit drunk she was when she said yes to join this project.

“We both appreciate real, comforting food, rather than a luxurious spectacle, and we both love quality ingredients that can connect us with the customer on a personal level. He plans to collaborate with different guest chefs every month, and he invited me to be the first. I was kind of drunk, but I knew I made the right call to accept. So, I recently designed five dishes that were inspired by local ingredients from when I lived in the north. I experimented to see how these ingredients can complement the pizzas and other menus at Kenny’s.”

“Chef Belle”

Call me skeptical, but the title chef, as I understood, is the highest ranking in the culinary career path, which takes a lot of experience to be called one. Before coming to the interview, I wondered what it takes to be a real chef. Would competing in a popular cooking TV show be enough to be called a chef?

Turns out Belle has been contemplating this very same question herself too.

“I have been home-cooking since I was a kid, but honestly, I never had the courage to call myself a chef until now. These days, I come up with dishes out of my passion for food that deeply connects with me. I take everyday and local ingredients, and then a fun twist. I create simple menus that make people ponder social issues. I hit up the fish market and source my own ingredients and connect my food with customers. That’s what being a chef is to me. I feel proud. It’s incredibly fulfilling.”

The sun seemed to bid its farewell already. I rushed from an interview with a shoe repair shop in Phibun Watthana apartment to Ari soi 2. My next appointment was with a pretty unique grilled squid stall. At first glance, it will remind you of a traditional ramen cart from Japan. Only that it occupies an empty slot in a parking lot, prompting passersby to take a snapshot or two.

This squid stall is called Sumpok Stall. I came here to chat with Aoy and Kaab, two of the three people behind this small business. Many long-time residents of Ari already know them as the owners of Ari’s famous grill restaurant, Summer Street, with its unpretentious, funky, and friendly style but with the finesse of professional designers.

And these characteristics that define Summer Street can also be used to describe its founders perfectly!

Introducing Summer Street founders

After chowing down some springy grilled octopus with spicy garlic-lime-chili dipping sauce, I found myself between Aoy and Kaab, who had seated themselves for the interview. The dusk had already rolled in. We sat in the alley by the roadside with motorcycles passing by.

Aoy is a handsome woman with a somewhat intimidating air. Kaab came across as a more amiable type but is also a fluent talker. The two have been designers by profession even before the start of Summer Street. With this, one can guess how their establishments managed to look charismatic while staying down-to-earth. 

“We used to work at the building right next to Dice years ago, so we would always come here for some grub. There used to be a community with shophouses huddling close together though they could use some maintenance. The corner where we were was occupied by a som tam vendor we frequented.”

When she was about to move out, she jokingly asked if we could take over her lot. We were like: please don’t joke around, we’d really love to.

The Beginning: Summer Street, Soi Ari 2 (2014-2017)

“It was just a street food stand.”

That was the answer from the pair after being asked what they had had in mind when starting the business. We were talking about a grill stand that looked like one you’d find along the seaside, only that it sat nonchalantly in an alley with a small trailer that the three partners had designed themselves. It had a small shed for a few tables, each equipped with a portable charcoal stove for grilling the food. Theirs was the first business to offer sets of seafood assortment on a platter. Unlike seaside stands, where customers have to choose each ingredient and portion.

Summer Street in the evening (Image: Wongnai)

“We wanted something that wasn’t too sophisticated and alienated from the surrounding area. We saw izakaya food trucks on our trips to Japan. Hence, as designers, we took the challenge to adapt it into the context of Thailand.”

The business received a very warm welcome upon opening. To the extent that someone took measurements of the trailer and took photos of everything to make a replica of it. Before long, Summer Street was featured in various shows and ultimately became a hotspot for Ari residents socializing after work and seafood lovers who don’t want to make a long trip, as Summer Street sourced their ingredients directly from the south and Mahachai Seafood Market.

“We positioned ourselves as an alternative and didn’t compete with other seafood restaurants, whether the ones around here or those in Prachachuen. We highlighted our designs, from the food arrangement in the platter to ensure that the proportion and color combination looked good for the pictures. Instagram was booming, so the people took photos and spread them around like a wildfire. Also, food trucks were a new fad at the time. As for the food, we gave our best too, because all of us have some connection to the sea.”

That was until…

The area that connected Ari Soi 1 and Soi 2 was sold, so everyone there had to clear out and find a new place to settle down in a few weeks after the news.

Vintage Era: Summer Street Camp at The Camp Vintage Market, Chatuchak (2018-2020)

“Despite the urgent need to find a new place, we didn’t give up because we felt connected to the stand. A new market was opening, and someone invited us to relocate there. A vintage-themed flea market called “The Camp” opened from noon to midnight. They were selecting vendors, so we sent them our references. Then we reopened there, at Chatuchak.”

During this time, we saw a lot of changes to Summer Street. The place now had an even more distinctive design, with a kitchen converted from an old bus, string lights, and letter lights that read “Summer Street Camp” to match the market’s vintage theme.

“Some regulars heard about our new place and returned, but there weren’t a lot of them since the location was harder to find and was inside of the market. You’d have to find parking. Most of the customers were new, with few veteran customers.” Kaab, who handled the procurement, remembers his regulars very well.

“We’ve been in business for so long it’s a little curious to see our customers’ timelines, for example, a boy came in his school uniform who just started seeing a girl, then they went steady and came together, then they broke up, and later he started a new job, got a new girlfriend, then got married and had children. ”

Some of them started as customers then became friends, and later we became close enough to confide in each other. A lot of people came into my life through this business.

While we were sitting there chatting, a man who was jogging greeted the two owners. Aoy told me he was one of their customers living in Ari. He had been eating at their place until they became close, and now he was getting married. When we were on the topic, this perfect timing felt as if he was sent to demonstrate their good relationships with customers!

Like a snuffed candle…

“Nobody knows why, but suddenly less and fewer people came. Not just our place but the whole market. It was diminished, like a snuffed candle.”

As a result, the market was shut down, and Summer Street had to relocate again. This coincided with their desire to expand into a restaurant with a proper kitchen.

Full-scale era: Summer Summer by Summer Street Soi Ari (2020)

“Previously, we sold fresh ingredients for customers to grill themselves, but now we expanded and had our kitchen for cooking.”

Summer Summer was their return to Ari. After the shutdown of the Camp Market, the two saw the importance of the location. They decided to return to Ari, where their old regulars were and chose a spot on Phahon Yothin 7 (the main Ari Alley) close to the beginning of Soi 4, not far from the famous Salt restaurant.

Summer Summer in 2020 (Image: BKK Menu)

The restaurant offered both indoor and outdoor seatings. It was decorated into an original marriage between an izakaya and a street food stall.

Soon after…

“As a full-scale restaurant, we had to provide full services. There were many things we had never done before, but it was pretty fun. The first 2 months, I was like,” No shit Aoy, it’s happening. We’re packed.” And then came Covid-19… It hit us from the first wave. We lost most of our customers, and the lockdowns were simply crippling.”

And how did you get by?

“We got by with a delivery. It only keeps you above the water, though. In other words, it “reduces your loss,” but in truth, you just can’t. We never had a chance against the big fish. For example, MK once had a buy one, get one free deal for ducks. How do I compete with this? I’d also order from MK. Plus, the atmosphere when you dine in was one of our selling points.”

We kept it up for over a year. The fourth wave was the last straw. We ran out of options. I had already sold all my gold

Aoy said. Even though the story was sad, her voice and eyes gave away her amusement reflecting on how she got through that experience.

After the fourth wave, they no longer had enough budget to continue. Their long-time workers began to quit, either to avoid COVID hazards or because they got job offers elsewhere. As a result, the pair decided to close down the restaurant that had only been open for two months.

Safe to say that this is the end of the legend of Summer Street, the beloved hangout spot for the people of Ari.

Spirit era: Sumpok Stall (2021)

After the second half of 2021, Summer Summer was officially shut down. It was just another in the sea of restaurant businesses that all took critical blows. While some survive, others don’t. Many employees gave in under pressure, and the three founders didn’t have the means to continue resisting.

Enduring spirit

“Our two servers, Tee and Ji, have been with us for over eight years – since the Summer Street days. They’ve stuck with us through thick and thin – no matter how many times we’ve had to move. We eventually closed down Summer Summer by Summer Street in soi 4 after the fourth lockdown; we couldn’t keep it going any longer. Other employees went separate ways; some other immigrants returned to their country. Still, Tee and Ji insisted on staying with us.

You know, back in the Summer Street days, these two got lots of compliments on their excellent service. They worked hard and sacrificed a lot during the hard times. When I got a phone call from my business partner about giving it another try, I asked, “Who are we doing this for?” – I have my full-time job and a baby to raise, though I’m not struggling financially. If we’re doing this so they can keep their job – I’m in. And that’s how Sumpok Stall started.”

Aoy told us that she didn’t expect anything from Sumpok other than giving her servers jobs. As for the customers can hang out in a friendly atmosphere reminiscent of that in Summer Summer. The business is always here, on a long journey together with the people of Ari. And their journey still goes on, waiting for a new exciting new chapter to begin.

Kaab said that if you want a wooden cart like this, don’t bother copying it. They’re for sale!

It was 7 o’clock. Today’s first achievement had been tearing myself out of bed to be standing in front of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment building. I was waiting for a person called Bas and wondering how this walk would turn out and what kind of person he was. Who in the world invites a stranger out to observe nature (biodiversity) at 7 in the morning?