Lertchai Treetawatchaiwong
Encyclopedia
Lertchai Treetawatchaiwong (born 28 April 1978) is a Thai
-Danish
software engineer
, restaurateur
and entrepreneur
. With his business partner, the Danish sommelier
and chef
Henrik Yde-Andersen, he has founded and operates a host of restaurants in Copenhagen
, ranging from the Michelin-starred restaurant Kiin Kiin to gourmet take-aways.
's Chinatown
, an area centred on Yaowarat Road
, into a family of Chinese
origins. He studied to become an engineer and first arrived in Denmark as a trainee in 2000, originally with no intentions to stay. Shortly prior to his return to Thailand he applied for some jobs and when he was offered a job at Ericsson
. In 2002 he moved on to work for Microsoft
as a software engineer
.
Treetawatchaiwong first met Ude-Andersen, who had just returned from a stay in Bangkok, through mutual friends in 2005. They developed plans to introduce Thai Haute cuisine
to the Copenhagen's gourmet restaurant scene, otherwise dominated by a Nordic wave spearheaded by Noma
which opened in 2004. As part of their preparations, they visited all Michelin restaurants in Copenhagen as well as Asian top places in London. They first opened the take-away Aroii in Nørrebro
but shortly after followed their main project, Kiin Kiin, which opened to excellent reviews in 2006 and received a rising star in the 2007 Michelin Guide
. The following year Kiin Kiin was awarded a Michelin Star which it has kept since then. In 2008 the duo opened The Rivemarket, an Asian bistrot, on Kultorvet in the city centre. 2009 saw them open a restaurant dedicated to the Centon
ese Dim sum
tradition which also lend it its name. It was originally planned to open in the Meatpacking District
but after problems with approavals, it was instead located on Sankt Annæ Plads
. In April 2010 opened Aroiidee with a selection of Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese dishes.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
-Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
software engineer
Computer programming
Computer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
, restaurateur
Restaurateur
A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of the restaurant business.-Etymology:The word...
and entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. With his business partner, the Danish sommelier
Sommelier
A sommelier , or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, commonly working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food matching...
and chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
Henrik Yde-Andersen, he has founded and operates a host of restaurants in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, ranging from the Michelin-starred restaurant Kiin Kiin to gourmet take-aways.
Biography
Treetawatchaiwong was born in BangkokBangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
's Chinatown
Yaowarat Road
Bangkok's Chinatown is centered on Yaowarat Road in Samphanthawong district.The Chinatown is an old business center covering a large area around Yaowarat and Charoen Krung Road. There are many small streets and alleys full of shops and vendors selling all types of goods...
, an area centred on Yaowarat Road
Yaowarat Road
Bangkok's Chinatown is centered on Yaowarat Road in Samphanthawong district.The Chinatown is an old business center covering a large area around Yaowarat and Charoen Krung Road. There are many small streets and alleys full of shops and vendors selling all types of goods...
, into a family of Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
origins. He studied to become an engineer and first arrived in Denmark as a trainee in 2000, originally with no intentions to stay. Shortly prior to his return to Thailand he applied for some jobs and when he was offered a job at Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
. In 2002 he moved on to work for Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
as a software engineer
Computer programming
Computer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
.
Treetawatchaiwong first met Ude-Andersen, who had just returned from a stay in Bangkok, through mutual friends in 2005. They developed plans to introduce Thai Haute cuisine
Haute cuisine
Haute cuisine or grande cuisine was characterised by French cuisine in elaborate preparations and presentations served in small and numerous courses that were produced by large and hierarchical staffs at the grand restaurants and hotels of Europe.The 17th century chef and writer La Varenne...
to the Copenhagen's gourmet restaurant scene, otherwise dominated by a Nordic wave spearheaded by Noma
Noma (restaurant)
Noma is a two Michelin star restaurant run by chef René Redzepi in Copenhagen, Denmark. The name is an acronym of the two Danish words "nordisk" and "mad" , and the restaurant is known for its reinvention and interpretation of the Nordic Cuisine...
which opened in 2004. As part of their preparations, they visited all Michelin restaurants in Copenhagen as well as Asian top places in London. They first opened the take-away Aroii in Nørrebro
Nørrebro
Nørrebro is one of the 10 official districts of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is northwest of the city centre, beyond the location of the old Northern Gate , which, until dismantled in 1856, was near the current Nørreport station.-Geography:...
but shortly after followed their main project, Kiin Kiin, which opened to excellent reviews in 2006 and received a rising star in the 2007 Michelin Guide
Michelin Guide
The Michelin Guide is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries. The term normally refers to the Michelin Red Guide, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards the Michelin stars...
. The following year Kiin Kiin was awarded a Michelin Star which it has kept since then. In 2008 the duo opened The Rivemarket, an Asian bistrot, on Kultorvet in the city centre. 2009 saw them open a restaurant dedicated to the Centon
Centon
Centon may refer to:* A unit of time in Battlestar Galactica * A range of photographic equipment sold in the United Kingdom by Jessops...
ese Dim sum
Dim sum
Dim sum refers to a style of Chinese food prepared as small bite-sized or individual portions of food traditionally served in small steamer baskets or on small plates...
tradition which also lend it its name. It was originally planned to open in the Meatpacking District
Meatpacking District, Copenhagen
thumb|Entrance to Øksnehallenthumb|Slagtehusgade, former slaughterhouses in the Brown Meat District, now housing various creative venuesthumb|Detail of main building, the White Kødby...
but after problems with approavals, it was instead located on Sankt Annæ Plads
Sankt Annæ Plads
Sankt Annæ Plads is a public square which marks the border between the Nyhavn area and the Frederiksstaden district in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is a long narrow rectangle which extends inland from the waterfront, at a point just north of the Royal Danish Playhouse at the base of the Kvæsthusbroen...
. In April 2010 opened Aroiidee with a selection of Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese dishes.