Born and raised in Bangkok, Techamuanvivit took a circuitous route into the culinary world. After studying at the University of California, San Diego, she began her professional life as a cognitive scientist in Silicon Valley before transitioning to food blogging in 2003. Her blog, Chez Pim, quickly gained popularity in the early days of the Blogger platform, and she later launched a line of award-winning fruit jams.
After settling in the US, Techamuanvivit realized that to recreate the fiery, fermented flavors she missed from home, she needed to master the building blocks of Thai cuisine and cook for herself rather than rely on the unrecognizable imitations served in restaurants. Her first challenge was mastering nam prik pao, a spicy chili jam, under her aunt’s guidance. From there, she expanded her repertoire, learning a new family recipe with each return visit to Thailand.
Techamuanvivit's dedication to her art paid off. With no previous restaurant experience, she took a leap of faith. She realized her dream of becoming a chef by opening her first restaurant, the understated Michelin-starred Kin Khao, in San Francisco in 2014. The accolades soon rolled in, and she has never looked back.
Restaurant
Techamuanvivit has been an unstoppable force in the culinary world, earning a cult following for her authentic Thai cuisine. She has made it her mission to introduce the US to genuine Thai flavors, liberating the cuisine from what she describes as "the tyranny of peanut sauce." The three restaurants she owns and manages are a testament to her mission.
Her debut restaurant, Kin Khao, opened in San Francisco in 2014. An unassuming spot with a menu rooted in traditional Thai techniques and local ingredients, it became the first Thai restaurant in San Francisco to earn a Michelin star, achieving this honor within just 18 months. Techamuanvivit’s talents were also recognized by the James Beard Foundation when she was nominated for Best Chef in California for Kin Khao in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023.
In 2018, she took over Nahm, an established one-Michelin-starred restaurant inside the Como Metropolitan in Bangkok. A year later, she opened Nari, an ambitious venture at Hotel Kabuki in Japantown, San Francisco. Nari was awarded its first Michelin star in 2023.
Recipes and dishes
Techamuanvivit’s cooking remains true to the cuisine she grew up with, rooted in the bold flavors of her homeland and informed by research into old Thai cookbooks. She thoughtfully incorporates local ingredients whenever possible, emphasizing high-quality components and bold spicing. Her curry pastes are made in-house, ensuring authenticity though she occasionally adds a twist, such as in her famous rabbit green curry at Kin Khao.
Techamuanvivit’s debut cookbook, The Foodie Handbook: The (Almost) Definitive Guide to Gastronomy, was published in 2009, offering an introduction to gastronomy with advice, anecdotes, and recipes from guest chefs. Her forthcoming cookbook, Cooking Thai: Heritage and Modern Recipes From My Kitchen Notebooks, co-written with James Beard Award-winning author Andrea Nguyen, will showcase her expertise in Thai cuisine. In the announcement, Pim writes, “In our book, simply called Cooking Thai, we will share with you the flavors, recipes, methods, and the many tricks I’ve used to make Thai food both in and outside Thailand."
Techamuanvivit is also a well-known figure on the international culinary stage, having served as a Grand Juror at S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2019-21, where she helped select the most talented young chef in the world.
