An invitation to participate in Thailand’s version of Iron Chef (the cooking show) is an honor that few receive… and even fewer decline.
The offer came to Natalie Sittpisansekul (Sharpe) in 2019, a Thai woman who’d barely cooked an egg until a year before.
Over the years, her British (and Jewish) husband, Spencer, did the cooking, or they’d eat out. But five years ago, in an effort to eat healthier, Natalie began experimenting in the kitchen. With the help of YouTube, she produced one of Spencer’s favorite Kosher meals—gefilte fish and potato latkes.
It was so delicious that it gave her the confidence to enroll in the Dusit Thani cooking school. Her creativity and enthusiasm stood out to her instructors, who suggested she enter a highly prestigious contest at the school.
The one-day event brought in 20 competing chefs from various restaurants and hotels in the area, all with far more experience. One of the judges was Chef Prachan Vonguthaiphan, the head judge on Iron Chef Thailand.
The task was to buy inexpensive fruit from a street vendor and transform it into a dessert worthy of a five-star restaurant or Michelin-star establishment.
And Natalie’s dessert won.
Chef Prachan was so impressed with her natural abilities he invited her to be a contestant on Iron Chef.
Though she passed on that, she was motivated to cook more Jewish delights, including the iconic "beigel"—the Polish version of the savory donut-shaped delight.
She offered her creations to friends who insisted on more… until she and Spencer turned their home kitchen into a food lab. As Natalie perfected her craft, the couple developed a presence—and a reputation—throughout Thailand, expanding into eight bagel varieties and an 80-page delivery menu.
In June 2024, they opened a retail spot in Pattaya with a commercial kitchen, London Beigel and Salt Beef Bar.
"We use the traditional beigel recipes and methods, which are similar to bagels, but the resting and baking processes differ significantly, giving [our] beigels that unique taste and texture," says Spencer.
"We are the only Jewish deli, not just in our area, but in all of Thailand and Southeast Asia!" he claims.
Their process for making salted beef (corned beef in the US) and pastrami is complex and lengthy, but brings in locals and tourists from everywhere.
Natalie, or "Mrs. Salty" to her customers, oversees three employees, and cooks the beef 150 kilos at a time. She and Spencer love what they do. They freely offer samples and monitor growth to gauge future trends.
Though there is a significant Jewish and Israeli presence in Pattaya, many British, American, and Aussie expats love London Beigel for its "familiar taste of ethnic Jewish culture."
"Our motivation was never about profit," says Spencer, "but instead about achieving a balance between work and home, and nurturing Natalie’s passions."
Future plans include opening in a Bangkok food court and expanding into 15 locations.
Your chance to retire overseas now
Your chance to retire overseas now
Learn more about Thailand and other destinations by signing up to our daily IL Postcards e-letter and we'll immediately send you a free report: 20 Countries Compared, Contrasted, Ranked, and Rated.
You don’t have to be rich to enjoy a pampered retirement, you just need to know where to go.
With our 34th Annual Global Retirement Index, our experts hand you a detailed roadmap. Details and a Special Offer Here!
By submitting your email address, you will receive a free subscription to IL Postcards, The Untourist Daily and special offers from International Living and our affiliates. You can unsubscribe at any time, and we encourage you to read more about our Privacy Policy.