With a passion for the grill, this talented 20-something chef gives Thai food a cool Mediterranean taste. Bangkok-based Yakup Tangsongsirisak’s restaurant, Fat Lamb Dine and Feast, opened with the mission of giving “Mediterranean cuisine its rightful place” in Bangkok.

Enter the restaurant and you’ll find relaxing interiors styled after Greek coastal towns of Santorini, with spotless whitewashed stucco walls and trimmings of ocean blue.

Interior of Fat Lamb. Photo: Fat Lamb

And the food? Well, you get strong Mediterranean flavours and punchy Thai tastes. Some of the signature creations include a 24-hour braised lamb shank with vegetable briam, or Greek-style ratatouille. There’s also the full-flavored paella infused with smoky Spanish pimento, saffron and Turkish sucuk, which is a type of dry, spicy sausage. 

Spanish paella with seafood. Photo: Fat Lamb 

Describing his cooking as “modern Mediterranean with Thai flair”, one of his Asian-Mediterranean creations is a fish sauce where he switches Thai long chili peppers to char bell peppers. This gives the condiment a smoky and distinctly spicy aftertaste, something locals would love. 

Lamb Shank. Photo: Fat Lamb 

Why Mediterranean though? Well Chef Yakup fell head over heels with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine when he first visited Spain, Italy and Turkey — countries that left a deep impression. He felt the cuisines of this region had “strong flavours using few ingredients.” But perhaps his first exposure to such cuisines was in Chicago. Over there, he got a degree in Culinary Arts, before working in top hotels and Michelin-American-Mediterranean restaurants in the most populous US state. 

Despite working in many international kitchens, Chef Yakup has a deep love for Thai cuisine. His goal? To realise “every Thai chef’s dream of making Thai cuisine have easier global access around the world.” 

Singing Bird mocktail. Photo: Fat Lamb

And perhaps that’s not too difficult. 

Already an internationally popular cuisine, Thai Towns offering authentic Thai fare are still popping up everywhere, from Los Angeles to Tokyo. And he wants to keep that going, “Thai cooking is a symbol of our national pride and rich heritage that has been passed down from many generations and the cuisine still stands strong. It will continue to be preserved as we educate the next generation about our flavours.” 

Website: www.fatlambbkk.com

Address:  15 Phraramkao Soi 45 Suan Luang Bangkok Thailand

Opening hours: 

Tuesday to Sunday from 12 noon to 10 pm