Saipin Chutima (born 1954 or 1955) is a chef and restaurateur in Las Vegas, Nevada. She is the chef at Lotus of Siam. In 2011 she was the co-winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest.
Saipin Chutima | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1954 or 1955 (age 69–70)[1] Thailand |
| Culinary career | |
| Cooking style | Northern Thai cuisine |
Current restaurant(s) | |
Award(s) won
| |
Early life
editChutima is from Chiang Mai, Thailand, where she was raised by her grandparents, who were farmers and merchants.[1] She immigrated to Los Angeles in 1987, then moved to Las Vegas.[1]
Career
editChutima and her husband opened Lotus of Siam in 1999.[2] Her recipes are based on traditional recipes passed down by her her grandmother.[1][2][3]
Recognition
editGourmet named Lotus of Siam the best Thai restaurant in the United States.[1][4]
In 2011 Chutima was the co-winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest.[5][4] According to Jonathan Gold she was "the first Asian-born chef to win a Beard award for cooking the cuisine of her homeland".[5]
Personal life
editChutima is married to Suchay, also called Bill, whom she met when she was 17 at his grandmother's restaurant.[5][2][6] The couple has two daughters.[5] Her husband and daughters help run the restaurant.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Saipin Chutima & Penny Chua". PBS. 12 May 2023.
- ^ a b c Schuster, Clayton Mory (2019-09-13). "Lotus Of Siam: The Las Vegas Thai Restaurant With Century-Old Recipes". Culture Trip. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ Durano, Genevie (12 November 2020). "Lotus of Siam's Northern Thai Comfort Food is Back Where it All Began". Las Vegas Weekly.
- ^ a b Wright, Johnathon L. (2024-06-20). "Family owners of beloved Vegas restaurant involved in wild lawsuit". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ a b c d e Gold, Jonathan (2012-04-16). "Hot, Sour, Sweet, Bitter, Hot". Saveur. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ Platt, Adam (2011-01-07). "Adam Platt on Lotus of Siam". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-26.