Forget boba–Richa “Cha” Tantisirivat and Saowalak “Mint” Kitvikraianan are making shaved ice the future of Thai desserts. This is the shaved ice that carries forgotten Thai flavours back to life.
Look jark. Khao mao. Ma-paem. Names that might sound almost foreign, even to Thais, especially the younger generation. Yet these are not imports or passing trends; they’re ingredients rooted deep in our own soil, once woven into everyday life, now pushed to the sidelines of memory. Hidden in plain sight across towns and cities, they’re quiet treasures waiting to be rediscovered.
At SAISAI, these overlooked flavours are pulled back into the spotlight as ingredients reimagined for today. It’s about shaking off the dust of nostalgia and proving that tradition can still hit hard, taste fresh, and tell stories worth listening to. And behind that mission are Richa “Cha” Tantisirivat and Saowalak “Mint” Kitvikraianan, two visionaries who see food as a cultural bridge between the past and the present. Together, they’re reviving forgotten ingredients, reworking them into modern bites.
We trace their journey back to the beginning, uncovering the dreams, memories, and values that shaped them, as well as the mission that continues to inspire everything they do today.
A Space for Local Flavours to Shine
As the interview began, a glass of fresh nipa palm juice was set down beside us. Mint leaned in to explain: “This comes straight from Pak Phanang, Nakhon Si Thammarat. Its natural saltiness comes from the mangrove ecosystem near the sea where it grows.” As we sipped, we found it was naturally sweet, fragrant, and refreshing, with just a hint of saltiness. Cha chimed in, adding that at SAISAI, the philosophy isn’t about overpowering ingredients, but about letting them shine and supporting their natural character.
“We both delved into ingredients before we started this; I have been researching local rice while Mint was a pasty chef with experience at fine dining restaurants.”
Cha started by founding HATCH Goodies, a brand dedicated to local rice varieties grown organically. Her love for these ingredients sparked the idea of opening a space that could showcase local produce in the spotlight. That’s when she teamed up with Mint, who shares the same vision. As Cha pointed out, many of these ingredients already make their way into chef’s table and fine-dining menus, but never as the main ones on the plates. Their approach with SAISAI is to flip that script, bringing these overlooked flavours closer to everyday customers in a way that feels accessible, exciting, and new.
“The reason we chose to represent our elements through shaved ice is because it’s simple. People already understand the concept of the dessert. There’s no fixed way to eat it, no rules, just enjoy it however you like.”
Shaved ice is a dessert that transcends generations, a timeless summer favourite. With just ice, syrup, and a choice of toppings, it’s simple, familiar, and endlessly adaptable. That’s exactly why it serves as the perfect canvas: an easy, approachable way to showcase local ingredients and invite customers to experience them.
The menu evolves with the seasons, reflecting whatever are at their peak. New creations rotate alongside old favourites, keeping each visit fresh, surprising, and rooted in the rhythm of nature.
The Friendship Behind the Dessert
As the second dessert arrived, Mint introduced it as their favourite on the menu: wan jark kem koey.
When they first went into the community to research ingredients, they realised that nothing grows all year round. Each type has its own season. That limitation forced them to experiment, bringing together ingredients from the same region and trying to combine them for a delicate taste. The result was accidental but inspiring: a dessert shaped by nature’s rhythm, where seasonality becomes the storyteller.
The dish itself is built on layers of local produce–natural sweetness from palm blossom syrup tied to look jark (nipa palm fruit) and koey (tiny local krill), paired with grains and coconut. They even created a mochi-like texture from heritage rice, using house-milled rice flour.
In many ways, wan jark kem koey is also a portrait of their friendship. Just as the dessert draws its strength from different elements coming together, Cha and Mint thrive on contrast and balance. “We’re like playing ping-pong,” Cha explained.
“Each of us has our own role. Mint focuses on creating the menu and running operations, while I handle branding and communication. She comes up with an idea, passes the ball to me, and we keep bouncing it back and forth. With a shared goal, everything flows and builds on itself.”
Mint agreed, adding:
“Since we set a clear foundation from the start, we see things from the same perspective. That makes the process fun. I know where my strengths are, and when I need advice while Cha gives me insights I wouldn’t have thought of. We respect each other’s space, but we always come back to the same centre.”
Like their dessert, their partnership is born of two distinct flavours, sometimes arriving at different times, but always finding a way to meet in the same bowl.
Heritage on Every Plate, Stories for Tomorrow
As the last menu arrived, an organic rice cake, we came full circle, back to the very root of SAISAI. At its heart, everything revolves around local ingredients. “What we continue to do is rooted in this core,” Cha explains. From the storefront to supplying ingredients to other restaurants, creating gifting boxes, or snack packs, every endeavour is anchored in the same principle: keeping these ingredients and the stories behind them alive. From extracting the natural sweetness of palm blossom nectar to tracking seasonal rhythms, both Cha and Mint immerse themselves in every process.
“By keeping these traditions alive, we’re also preserving people’s livelihoods, their pride, and the connection to their environment,”
Cha reflects.
For SAISAI, the goal isn’t to make these treasures feel exotic or rare. It’s to fold them into everyday life, to let them be ordinary again, yet extraordinary in significance. Through their work, the next generation can find pride in their communities, and the city can rediscover the charm of ingredients that once defined life in villages across Thailand.
