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Because food begins long before it reaches the table, Chef Son focuses on the journey from family traditions to food innovation.
“Food that truly matters isn’t always the most delicious. It’s the meal that fills an empty stomach, creates gratitude and reminds us of the value of sharing food with others.”
Words from a chef that reflect a philosophy far greater than the boundaries of a single profession. Rather than being confined to his role in the kitchen, Siripong “Son” Kosol, better known as Chef Son, has always looked beyond the plate, seeing food as nourishment, a source of value and a catalyst for gratitude and connection.
Today, his influence extends far beyond the kitchen with an active role across the wider food scene. Reflecting on earlier chapters of his career, Chef Son discusses his current work, the vision guiding him and the experiences that continue to shape his perspective within the food industry.
Grandmothers’ Kitchens
“Whenever my grandmother cooked, I was always the first to taste the food.”
Long before kitchens, restaurants and recipes became part of his career, food was already part of everyday life. Growing up in Southern Thailand within a close-knit family, some of Son’s earliest memories were formed alongside his grandmother. She once cooked for a royal household and approached every dish with patience and care, from fermenting fish sauce to preserving ingredients. He would watch from the sidelines and absorb traditions he did not yet realise would stay with him for a lifetime.
Food, however, was never the influence of one person alone. His other grandmother made and sold her own curry pastes in Southern Thailand, while his mother ran a small family restaurant. Together, they created a household where the meal was a way of caring for each other.
He later studied at Dusit Thani College before moving to the United States to gain professional experience. Upon returning to Thailand, he eventually joined the team at Sühring, an experience that would further shape his culinary identity.
“Those experiences began with following old recipes and learning from traditional methods. As I continued to practise, experience became my greatest teacher. I started to understand how different ingredients worked together and how flavours could be combined in new ways. That process gradually led me to develop my own culinary direction and incorporate more of my personality into each dish. I want people to taste my food and immediately know that it is mine.”
Growing Through Canes
Among the many milestones throughout his career, one memory stands out above the rest. It is not tied to an award or a title, but to Canes, his restaurant born from curiosity and a desire to understand food from an entirely different perspective.
Although the plant-based Canes would not open until years later, the foundations were laid during his time in the United States. Plant-based dining was receiving growing attention and exposure to chefs from different cultures opened his eyes to a much broader culinary landscape.
“Whatever confidence or ego I had was quickly broken down by the realisation that I knew very little about vegetables. I knew how to make a steak taste good, but I didn’t understand how the elements around it could elevate the dish even further. At that point, I was only looking at part of the picture.”
That realisation continued after his return to Thailand. His time at Sühring opened another chapter of discovery. The restaurant’s European influences introduced him to a culture deeply rooted in grains, legumes and seasonal produce.
Together with his business partner, he opened Canes, driven by a desire to push the boundaries of his own craft.
“I never hesitated to dive into this field because it pushed my skills further. The more I learned, the more possibilities I discovered.”
A year before opening Canes, he began growing vegetables himself, gaining a deeper understanding of ingredients, nutrition and seasonality. That knowledge became the foundation of the restaurant.
Canes was never simply about plant-based dining. Working alongside food scientists, the team explored new possibilities for plant ingredients and created innovative alternatives to animal-based products.
When the restaurant officially opened on 25 December 2019, vegetarian dining remained unfamiliar to many people in Thailand. Through research, innovation and education, Canes helped reshape perceptions and established itself as a leading voice in the country’s plant-based movement.
“What makes me most proud is knowing that we have helped people better understand vegetarian food. Every dish became an opportunity to share that knowledge, while continuing to learn myself.”
Lessons from Vegetables
Among the dishes that remain closest to his heart is khao mun hed, taking its cue from Thailand’s beloved khao mun gai or chicken rice. The idea came from the texture and aroma of portobello mushrooms, qualities that reminded him of chicken. A grilled portobello steak paired with mushroom-infused rice transformed a familiar comfort food into something entirely plant-based. The dish quickly became a favourite among diners, including many who claimed they never liked mushrooms.
That response felt particularly meaningful. As a child, vegetables rarely found their way onto his plate.
“So funny, when I was young, I didn’t like vegetables either.”
One memory still makes him laugh. Whenever kana moo krob (stir-fried Chinese kale with crispy pork belly) appeared on the table, he would pick out the crispy pork and leave the Chinese kale behind, much to the frustration of his older brother, who insisted it was impolite to ignore part of a shared meal.
Years later, those childhood dislikes became a source of inspiration. At Canes, Chinese kale found its way back onto the menu in a completely different form: a tart filled with a plant-based egg-style cream, finished with crisp leaves that added a naturally savoury, umami-rich flavour. One of Thailand’s most robust leafy vegetables became something playful and approachable.
At the heart of his cooking philosophy lies something simple: comfort. Familiar flavours, nostalgia and the feeling of being transported back to a particular moment in time. Fermentation remains central to that pursuit, whether through corn-based faux fish sauce, miso or chilli ferments, with layers of flavour that evoke memory and emotion. Those ideas stem from childhood memories of his grandmothers, homemade ferments and curry pastes. Experimentation, curiosity and a willingness to rethink familiar ingredients remain at the core of his approach, alongside a strong sense of responsibility.
A Different Scale
Although the Canes chapter has come to a close, the ideas that shaped it continue to guide his work. His place within the food industry now extends beyond the role of chef. Different responsibilities and a broader perspective, yet the same curiosity that first drew him to food. Nearly 15 years after first stepping behind a kitchen counter, a different challenge awaits.
His current role as Product Development and Production Manager at CP Axtra places him in a very different environment from the restaurant kitchens where much of his career unfolded. Overseeing ready meals, frozen products and food development for Lotus’s and Makro, the work now sits at the intersection of culinary knowledge, innovation and large-scale production.
“We’ve brought culinary knowledge into the factory system. Instead of cooking for a small group of people, we’re creating food for people across Thailand.”
Restaurant cooking and industrial production speak very different languages. The foundations remained the same: understanding ingredients, respecting flavour and finding ways to deliver meaningful food experiences at scale.
One of his more recent projects includes Hidden Taste, a cooking competition programme bringing together professional chefs and home cooks. As part of the programme, Son oversees the further development, evaluation and adaptation of selected dishes to determine whether they can be produced successfully on a commercial scale.
The next chapter is already taking shape. Several products currently under development are set to launch at Lotus’s Eatery at the Happitat at the Forestias. As Lotus’s continues to place greater emphasis on freshness and quality, his role centres on translating culinary standards into products accessible to a wider audience.
The setting may have changed from restaurant kitchens to production lines and development facilities, but the intention remains remarkably familiar: bringing meaningful food experiences to more people than ever before.
