A Thai restaurateur with Cantonese roots aspires to transplant his fare in China as his brand's international expansion bears fruit. Erik Nilsson reports.

Pitaya Phanphensophon's culinary dynasty began with his parents bringing Cantonese cuisine to Thailand more than half a century ago. And he hopes to continue this legacy, in reverse, by taking his brand of Southeast Asian fare to the Middle Kingdom while expanding its global presence.

Phanphensophon's Thai father and Cantonese mother started the "Thai-Chinese" eatery Coca 57 years ago in Bangkok. After his dad's death compelled Phanphensophon to take over the family business at age 26, he went on to found the Thai cuisine brand Mango Tree in the capital.

Pitaya Phanphensophon took over the family business at age 26 and went on to found the Thai cuisine brand Mango Tree and has extended it worldwide. Provided to China Daily

That was 20 years ago.

Today, Mango Tree Worldwide operates 70 restaurants in 15 countries in Asia, the Middle East and the United States. And it aspires to double turnover and grow beyond 100 outlets by 2015.

En route, Phanphensophon hopes to bring the brand back to China. The group's birth right began with his Chinese mother - "a good cook" and the eldest daughter who regularly prepared her siblings' meals - joining his native father to bring localized Cantonese to the Thai capital decades ago.

"Cantonese are a minority (among Chinese) in Bangkok," Phanphensophon says.

"Cantonese are a bit fussy about eating. More attention is paid to yin and yang."

Many Thai ingredients, such as peppers and lemongrass, are infused with more heat than those common in Chinese cuisines. Thais use more ginger, herbs and garlic, he explains.

"(Coca is) Chinese but with Thai characteristics. It's different from typical Chinese food - fatty, with a lot of MSG, and they often use the cheapest cuts. Their strategy is that if you make it cheaper, more people will come. You can't blame them really. "Thai food is easier to understand than Cantonese. It's simple. We use a lot of home ingredients, such as herbs that people grow around their houses. The trend is coming back to the old days."

That said, the 56-year-old still considers himself Chinese. And he points out his wife is a Hong Kong native.

"Chinese cooking is my background. I was born and grew up here (Thailand) and then went overseas," Phanphensophon says.

"I'm getting more into Chinese tea - returning to my roots."

But he's equally as comfortable with his birth land's cuisine and hopes to change the way it's viewed in China.

"Chinese perceptions of Thai is that it's mediocre because it's sour and spicy," Phanphensophon says.

"They associate it with uncultured food (China's) new rich want abalone and shark fin. They want the most expensive food. But the most expensive isn't the best. The trick is to find good (things) for not too much money."

The group is again eyeing China, after its handful of outlets in Shanghai closed in the early 2000s.

"When the property prices went up, the owners thought it was easier to lease it out than to run a restaurant," Phanphensophon says.

Managing director of the group's subsidiary Exquisine System Trevor MacKenzie says: "We're looking at China but the challenge is China already has a (mature) market for Thai food."

So the brand must set itself apart, he says.

And there are cultural obstacles in business approaches.

"Chinese partners want a 400-seat restaurant," MacKenzie says.

"We ask: 'Can we really deliver our experience?' When it gets to 1,000 people, it's a factory."

Phanphensophon's concern with delivering high-end dining experiences around the globe is a world away from when he learned to cook rice as an overseas student in Canada in 1975.

He went to the country as a rebellious 15-year-old.

"My parents thought I wouldn't make it. I asked them: 'You want to bet?'"

Phanphensophon did make it. But he discovered finding food to his taste was a hurdle.

A Hong Kong man Phanphensophon knew cooked rice and Phanphensophon, desperate for a taste of home, asked if he could have some. The "bully" told Phanphensophon he could - if the boy slept on his floor.

"I was at the bully's mercy for a month until I learned so many Chinese restaurants delivered," Phanphensophon says.

He begged his mom to ship him a rice cooker.

"I'd never cooked before," Phanphensophon says.

His friends bought ingredients, and he cooked them.

"You get sick of rice and soy sauce every day," Phanphensophon says.

He added Chinese sausage. Later, he threw in mushrooms.

A cook was born.

"To this day, that's still my favorite dish," Phanphensophon says.

Phanphensophon dreamed of directing film when he was young. But he ended up running the family business when his father passed away.

"There's only one thing I regret. I never got to work with my father. He never got to pass down his wisdom to me," Phanphensophon says.

Phanphensophon works with his kids, who'll take over the business when he retires to become inspecting chef.

His eldest daughter is a nutritionist with a master's in food science.

She influenced Coca to serve healthier options, he says.

Contact the writer at erik_nilsson@chinadaily.com.cn.

(China Daily 02/09/2014 page4)