Chef Gee: Passion, Precision and Perfection

For more than 10 years, ‘Chef Gee’ gained work experience outside his native Thailand. He was the first Thai student to receive an Outstanding Student Award from The Restaurant School, Walnut Hill College’s prestigious culinary institute. He has competed three times on the Japanese television programme ‘Iron Chef’, worked in several five-star hotels and was named Philadelphia’s best pastry chef in 2013. Today, he owns Geelicious Bakehouse in Bangkok: an artisan bakery that bakes fresh products six days a week and serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and desserts. ‘I work with delicious, high-quality ingredients here that are not excessively expensive and therefore accessible to everyone.’ In addition, Chef Gee has set up a company that restaurants and cafes can order their artisan baked goods from. ‘I want this company to become the preferred solution for cafes that want to serve good and tasty food. I also run a cooking show and a Chef’s Table, participate in events and advise others on how to start their own bakery or create delicious desserts or baked goods.’

In his creations, Chef Gee likes to use typical Thai ingredients, such as mango, coconut and lime grass. Using his international experience, he mixes these ingredients with a variety of other influences. ‘If you ask me how you can recognise my dishes, it is in the mixing and matching of the ingredients. I am fascinated by the search for new flavours, which I want to use to prepare unique desserts. For example, I use chillies, crispy Korean chicken or snake beans to make the most delicious desserts.’ 

In a country like Thailand, with tropical temperatures and high humidity, artisan baking is sometimes quite a challenge. ‘Butter is a crucial component in making croissants, but sometimes the heat causes the butter to soften too quickly. This is not good for the lamination of the dough. Although we often work in an air-conditioned room, sometimes a large production batch requires many ovens to be fired up. Since Debic’s range includes technical butters that have a stable melting point, this butter is perfect for use at all temperatures and in all conditions. This allows me, as a professional, to concentrate on laminating and creating beautiful layers in the dough. A good croissant should be flaky, crisp and aromatic. The Debic Butter Sheet is perfect for this.’

When it comes to helping hands in his kitchen or bakery, Chef Gee looks primarily at the motivation of potential employees. ‘I’m not concerned about the lack of experience: I’m a professional, so I can train people. The person’s attitude is much more important. I will never choose an experienced chef who is poorly motivated. Skills can be learned, but the right attitude and love for the job are often inborn. Moreover, I want to be an empathetic employer: I’m always willing to listen to professional or personal problems. I think it’s important that we support each other within a team wherever we can.’