The Guardian

‘Don't they sell tyres?': Thai street food chef on life with a Michelin star

Jay Fai’s shophouse is doing a roaring trade as tourists arrive to snap photos and wait half a day for a table
Jay Fai cooks in her kitchen after her street-side eatery was recognised with a Michelin star. Photograph: Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP/Getty Images

The Thai street food legend Jay Fai had not heard of Michelin stars until she was awarded one.

The diminutive 72-year-old had been wok-frying her signature crab omelettes and prawn noodle dishes six days a week for the last few decades, and when she first received an invite to the Bangkok awards ceremony, she rejected it. She said she did not want to take a day off work.

“Doesn’t Michelin sell tyres? What are they doing with

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Guardian

The Guardian6 min read
From Kurt To Elvis, JFK And More, What Movies Did Stars See Just Before They Died?
Clad in black and wearing a cheeky-chappie grin, the artist and author Stanley Schtinter resembles Damon Albarn dressed as an undertaker. That suits his new book, Last Movies, which refracts cultural history through the prism of films watched by nota
The Guardian4 min read
Critics Of Napoleon Epic Have Fallen For Emperor’s Fibs, Says Film’s Military Expert
Critics of the “damaging” and “inaccurate” portrayal of Napoleon Bonaparte in Ridley Scott’s new cinematic epic Napoleon are just victims of the French emperor’s enduring propaganda, according to the military adviser behind the film’s vast battle sce
The Guardian4 min read
‘Almost Like Election Night’: Behind The Scenes Of Spotify Wrapped
There’s a flurry of activities inside Spotify’s New York City’s offices in the Financial District. “It’s almost like election night,” Louisa Ferguson, Spotify’s global head of marketing experience says, referring to a bustling newsroom. At the same t

Related Books & Audiobooks