THAI SIAM KITCHEN – FROM A THAI KITCHEN TO A CULINARY AND CULTURAL BRIDGE BETWEEN VIETNAM AND THAILAND

Thai Siam Kitchen was founded with a simple yet long-term aspiration: to bring the flavors, stories, and hospitality of Thailand closer to the Vietnamese people. Starting as a single restaurant, the brand is gradually moving towards establishing a Thai culinary system with cultural depth, while also serving as a small bridge in the increasingly close relationship between Vietnam and Thailand.

Behind this vision is Mr. Nguyen Duc Quynh – Founder of Thai Siam Kitchen, who directly leads the brand's development strategy and operational model for the system.

For him, developing Thai Siam Kitchen is not merely about opening more restaurants. A Thai culinary brand aiming for long-term growth in Vietnam needs to understand Thai culture, build relationships with Thai partners, preserve the authenticity of the dishes, and create an experience familiar enough for Vietnamese people to want to return regularly.

Thai Siam Kitchen – a part of the Vietnam-Thailand connection

June 9, 2026, marks a special milestone in this journey.

Representing MENAS Vietnam and Thai Siam Kitchen, Mr. Nguyen Duc Quynh was honored to be invited to speak at the Thailand – Vietnam Investment and Business Connection Forum 2026 in Hanoi.

The forum was attended by the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Suphajee Suthumpun, along with representatives from government agencies, investment promotion organizations, associations, and business communities of both nations.

At the forum, Mr. Nguyen Duc Quynh shared:

“We aspire to be a bridge, bringing more quality Thai products, brands, and culinary experiences to Vietnamese consumers.”

He also emphasized the enormous potential for cooperation between businesses of the two countries in the retail, F&B, and culinary tourism sectors.

For Thai Siam Kitchen, this message holds very concrete meaning.

The restaurant is precisely one of the places where Vietnamese-Thai connections can become daily experiences.

Not through grand concepts, but through a simmering pot of Tom Yum, a freshly pounded Som Tam, a serving of Pad Thai, a family meal, or simply a gathering of Vietnamese people who love Thailand.

Thai Siam Kitchen chose Ban Khun Mae – บ้านคุณแม่ – Mother's Home as its overarching concept.

Because to understand Thai cuisine, perhaps the most intimate place to start is not a luxurious restaurant but the family kitchen itself.

It is where recipes are passed down, where the mother knows what each family member likes to eat, where many dishes are placed in the center of the table to be shared, and where food is linked to memories.

Therefore, Ban Khun Mae is not just a decorative style.

From wooden materials, warm lighting, pictures reminiscent of old Siam, bookshelves, kitchen utensils, to the way the dining table is set, Thai Siam Kitchen aims to create the feeling of stepping into a Thai home.

And most importantly, it's still about what appears on the table.

Tom Yum Goong, Som Tam, Pad Thai, curry, Yum, Nam Prik, Mango Sticky Rice, and many regional dishes have been meticulously researched and perfected by Thai Siam Kitchen to both preserve Thai characteristics and create an experience suitable for the Vietnamese market.

Not walking alone on the journey of bringing Thai cuisine to Vietnam

Of particular significance to Thai Siam Kitchen is the attention and support the brand has received during its development from the Royal Thai Embassy, the Royal Thai Consulate General, and especially the Thai Trade Center in Ho Chi Minh City. This information was also noted when Thai Siam Kitchen was introduced at the Thailand – Vietnam Investment and Business Connection Forum 2026.

This is significant encouragement for a brand pursuing the mission of “Bringing Thai cuisine to Vietnam.”

Because to responsibly tell the story of another cuisine, Thai Siam Kitchen needs to continuously learn.

The team needs to understand Thai ingredients.

Understand the differences between Bangkok, the North, Isan, and the South.

Understand how Thais arrange a Samrap – a shared meal.

Understand what is traditional and what is contemporary.

And beyond that, understand cuisine within the overall culture, people, and life of Thailand.

From trade connections to restaurant quality

The spirit of Vietnam-Thailand cooperation continued to extend on August 26, 2026, when Mr. Nguyen Duc Quynh attended a meeting with a Thai international trade promotion delegation in Ho Chi Minh City, led by Ms. Supaporn Sookmark – Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce of Thailand.

The delegation included businesses supplying fabrics, interior decoration materials, and various product groups for hotels, resorts, and restaurants.

Such connections are especially meaningful for Thai Siam Kitchen.

A Thai restaurant is not just created by recipes. Behind the customer's experience is an entire ecosystem including ingredients, equipment, tableware, furniture, materials, design, training, human resources, and supply chain.

Therefore, strengthening relationships with Thai businesses and trade promotion organizations is also a way for Thai Siam Kitchen to gain deeper access to Thailand's hospitality ecosystem itself.

From Thai Restaurant to Thai Culture House

Thai Siam Kitchen is setting a broader goal for itself than simply becoming a chain of restaurants.

It is to gradually evolve into a Thai Culture House – a House of Thai Culture in an intimate and vibrant way.

Diners might come for Tom Yum.

But when they leave, they might learn more about Tom Yum Goong's connection to the riverine life of Central Thailand.

A young person might come to wear Thai traditional attire and take beautiful photos.

But from that, they become curious about Thai art, fashion, and culture.

A family might come for dinner.

But through the way many dishes are placed in the center of the table and shared, they discover interesting similarities between the Thai Samrap and the Vietnamese family meal.

This is how Thai Siam Kitchen wants to tell the story of Thailand:

Food – Culture – People – Travel.

Not through a museum, but through a living culture house, where culture is experienced through food, space, attire, stories, and people.

Cuisine – a common language of Vietnam-Thailand friendship

The year 2026 also holds special significance as Vietnam and Thailand celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations, amidst the two countries implementing a new phase of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

In addition to business activities, Mr. Nguyen Duc Quynh actively participates in business networking, tourism, hospitality programs, and Vietnam-Thailand cultural exchange activities.

This vision is also integrated into Thai Siam Kitchen's developmental DNA.

Because a restaurant may be very small when compared to the relationship between two nations.

But every day, within that restaurant, hundreds of encounters take place.

Vietnamese people enjoy Thai dishes.

Thais find the taste of home in Vietnam.

International tourists sit together around a dining table.

Young people wear Thai traditional attire and share photos with friends.

A dish sparks a desire to explore a land.

These small interactions, happening daily, are a very natural form of people-to-people connection.

And that is the path Thai Siam Kitchen wishes to continue pursuing: "From Ban Khun Mae to Thai Culture House"

From a dining table to Vietnam-Thailand encounters.

From a love for cuisine to understanding and friendship between the two nations.

THAI SIAM KITCHEN – BAN KHUN MAE

Warm as a Thai Home.

Every Meal Brings You Closer to Thailand.