Even if you haven't heard of Jay Fai, you couldn't have missed the reels documenting Bangkok's irresistible crabmeat omelettes at Fai's famous Michelin-starred street food stall near Phra Tu Phi. Recently rumours about her retirement sent shock waves across the food industry.
News of her alleged retirement even attracted the attention of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who expressed a desire to visit the restaurant. Though Fai embraced the idea, stating that she would be “greatly honoured” to serve Ms. Paetongtarn, the 80-year-old chef denied the rumours of her retirement and has cleared the air.
“I still have many international commitments, including in France where I need to cook. How can I quit? It’s impossible because I’m still bound by these commitments,” Fai told an English news site on Oct 29.
“I’m still strong... I can stand and cook comfortably for about 15 hours a day,” she added. But who is Chef Jay Fai, whose retirement news made headlines?
Jay Fai, also known as Jay Pia Supinya Junsuta, rose to fame in her 70s when she earned a Michelin star in Bangkok’s first Michelin Guide in 2018. Her restaurant which is famous for its wok-fried seafood dishes, particularly the crab omelette, has held on to its Michelin star for 7 consecutive years.
Fai received the Icon Award in 2021 from The World’s 50 Best platform and some of her other well-known dishes are crab stir-fried with curry powder, tom yum seafood soup with large prawns, Japanese abalone sautéed with kale, and dried seafood congee.
How Famous Is Jay Fai's Restaurant?
Tourists from across the globe line up for three hours to try Jay Fai’s famous crabmeat omelette, which she cooks herself over intense flames, donning her trademark ski goggles to shield her eyes from flying sparks. Fai was also featured on the 2019 Netflix show Street Food Asia.
Fai still cooks most of the dishes herself at her street food joint. She currently runs her restaurant four days a week, from Wednesday to Saturday. Despite her well-deserved recognition, Fai continues to work 12-hour days. Her daughter oversees the restaurant’s operations, including media translations and booking reservations, while a few sous chefs assist with daily preparations.
Although she is technically a street food vendor, Fai's prices are comparable to upscale dining. For example, her signature dish, khai jeaw poo (crab omelette), costs $40 or 1,000 baht (INR 2,225). At first glance, it looks like an ordinary folded omelette, but cutting through the crispy exterior reveals a pound of crab meat, hand-picked by Fai, encased in a Japanese-style tamagoyaki omelette.
Fai didn’t begin her career as a chef and lacked formal culinary training. Growing up as one of nine siblings in a challenging environment, she was the daughter of an opium-addicted father and a mother who sold chicken noodles and rice porridge to make ends meet. After leaving school to support her family, she worked as a seamstress until a fire destroyed her sewing equipment and home.
Driven by desperation and the need to survive, she sought a new path. In the Netflix series Street Food: Asia, she shares how her mother and sister were initially hesitant about her cooking. When they advised her against it, she decided to prove them wrong. She heated oil in a wok and stirred the noodles vigorously, pleasantly surprised by how the heat transformed them, leading to her new career as a vendor in Thailand’s vibrant street food scene.