Nine quickfire questions with Nat Thaipun

Get to know Good Food’s new star contributor a little more with this light and tender grilling.We’re excited to officially announce that rising food star Nat Thaipun has joined Good Food as a regular recipe columnist and writer, kicking off with her first exclusive new recipe next month. We threw some burning questions at her to give you a taste of what’s to come (and what she’s loving right now).Nat can’t wait to share her passion for produce and cooking with you. Simon SchluterWhat can Good Food readers look forward to?I want people to embrace the warmth of cooking for yourself, your mates, your family and even your neighbours, like (partner) Caleb and I do. Cooking connects us. It’s community; it’s one of the most important things for human connection. It’s sensory, it’s alive, and it’s forgiving.I also want Australians to recognise how good our food culture actually is. We’re always trying to “find” what Australian cuisine is, and I hate to break it to you, but this is it, and it is incredible! Stop questioning it and embrace it.The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.Sign upFavourite after-service or midnight snack A baby charcuterie board but make it with a lot of fruit. I plate up whatever’s in the fridge – blueberries, cheese, hummus, a carrot – and a wedge of baguette. It’s so refreshing, and it covers every nutrient I skipped during the day. Or congee with pickles, fermented beancurd and a side of stir-fried gai laan. But honestly, sometimes it’s just Weet-Bix.Nat kicking up her heels at the SMH Good Food Guide Awards in 2024.Nat ThaipunKitchen weapon of choice My nakiri knife (Japanese vegetable cleaver). I don’t reach for it often, but when I’m chiffonading makrut lime, ginger or leeks at work, nothing touches it. I obsessively sharpen and polish it, too.Snack I always have on handDried mango, always. Mum brings it back from Thailand, relatives keep me stocked, and even fans gift it to me. And a Tupperware of fresh fruit: blueberries, strawberries, watermelon and green mango.Nat’s sticky fried rice.David LoftusThe dish I’ll never get sick ofLarb, or a green mango salad. Som tum with sticky rice never misses. And a side of deep-fried fish. It’s a non-negotiable and SO good!My most overrated foodIt’s contentious, but caviar.Favourite Melbourne and Sydney restaurant/bar right nowYou’ll hate me for saying this, but this is low-key my least favourite question! It really depends entirely on what I’m craving. In NSW, I’m genuinely excited to get to Lo Presti’s, Sara Dining in Berry and La Buvette. I want to support those legends and their new ventures. I’m always at Bessie’s, Corner 75 and Mamak. In Melbourne, hospo hours mean I only get out Sunday or Monday, so a Sunday roast at Reed House hits different, and I’m at Huong Vuong 2 in Richmond for pho and a three-colour drink at least once a week. Or heading north to Bahama Gold for a martini or two and multiple pizzas from their now-permanent pop-up Da Paolo.My coffee order (and favourite place to drink it)Batch brew first, then a double espresso, then an oat flat white if I’m treating it like dessert. I’ve been living at Open House cafe in Clifton Hill recently. It’s got this small-town calm that reminds me of growing up in the Macedon Ranges.My food philosophyIt all comes down to using what you have. I hate borrowing wine language, but terroir matters just as much in food. Cook with the season and use what’s actually available. That’s the real game-changer. It makes you a better cook, it makes the food taste better, and it unlocks creativity in a way that keeps you honest, because the seasonal limits force you to work within them. That’s exactly how Thai cooking works.More:Know howFor subscribersSnacksThaiKitchen must havesFrom our partners