“I remember going to the market to find food I liked and then asking my grandma to teach me how to make it. I grew up in the Isaan province. I was Grandma’s helper in the kitchen, but I was pretty lazy at first. She kept encouraging me to cook and learn with her and over time I grew to love it. I worked at a Thai restaurant for a while and then moved to Oregon to work at a restaurant in Portland. While working there, I met my husband. He worked in an office above the restaurant and quickly became a regular customer. After the restaurant closed, we got married and he helped start Thai Bloom with my uncle, Sayan. Since then, we have started a family of our own!”

Aum is a chef at the NW Portland location and has been a key member of our team since the beginning!

“Before cooking, I was a bartender in Thailand. There I met my husband Sayan (co-founder of Thai Bloom). When we met, it was electric– I’d walk over to the kitchen to check him out and see him already looking at me! He worked the kitchen and I worked the bar. When we got married, Sayan recieved opporunities to travel off-and-on, and cook around the world. I stayed behind for those first years. But, when the time came to move to Oregon, we knew we had to do it together, all in!”

Luna is the Head Chef at our Beaverton location, helping keep the ship sailing smooth. As you can see by her effortless and confident posture, she was a model back in Thailand.

“I met Per when we worked at a restaurant together in Bangkok. Little did we know we would get married and move to Oregon. We are happy to be here, working and raising our daughter.”

Aui is a chef at our NW Portland location. She’s married to Per, one of our Beaverton chefs. We are thankful for her contribution to the Thai Bloom family.

“After moving from Northern Thailand to Bangkok, I worked at a restaurant for 13 years. Friends at Thai Bloom recruited me to come to the US and cook. My husband was fully supportive and said that wherever I went, he would follow. He even started learning how to work in the kitchen so he could work at Thai Bloom too! That’s how we do life together.”

“I am fulfilling my dreams. I have loved cooking Thai food since I was a child. When I graduated from high school in Thailand, I took a job cooking and stayed for 16 years. When Thai Bloom was starting up, I was recruited by a friend to move to the US and join the Beaverton kitchen. That was almost 7 years ago now!”

If you’ve had our Chicken Satay, then you’ve tasted Aa’s skilled cooking. Aa is an indispensable chef at the Beaverton location and brings contagious joy to the kitchen.

“I was a nervous wreck when I started cooking. In Thailand, I worked as a server for awhile until I discovered that chefs were able to travel and work abroad. So, I became a chef. Eventually, I moved to the US so I could save money and return home to marry my sweetheart. Those were two long years, but they paid off! We got married and moved to Oregon together to work at Thai Bloom.”

Wor has spent many years fanning the flame of Portland’s passion for Thai cuisine. We’re delighted that she leverages her enthusiasm and expertise as the Manager of our NW Portland restaurant.

Chantra “Wor” Somanand was born and raised in Bangkok, so she is no stronger to Thai food! Her mother gave her the nickname “Wor” (a letter in the Thai alphabet), and it has stayed with her on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. While in Thailand, she worked in member services at a golf club as well as a real estate broker. When neither position proved especially rewarding, she decided to move to America and see what that adventure might bring.

Wor began studying English as a Second Language (ESL) at the University of Portland in 1991 while working as a Server at a local Thai restaurant. She also took coursework in computer systems at Portland Community College. When a good friend made an introduction to the prospective owners of a new Thai restaurant, Wor decided to get in on the ground floor of their business. She became the first employee at Typhoon’s NW 23^rd Avenue restaurant.

In addition to a career move, coming to America brought other changes to Wor’s life. She met and married her wonderful husband, and then gave birth to her son. She continued to work at Typhoon and shared child care responsibilities with her husband until their son turned 3 years old. With a superb babysitter on hand, both could work full time and then enjoy their off hours together as a family.

While working at Typhoon, Wor developed strong personal and professional relationships with many of the colleagues with whom she works at Thai Bloom. In fact, she thinks of all of them as her American family. This sense of connection doesn’t just exist among those who’ve worked together for many years. As she says: “When you work here, you aren’t just an employee. You become part of us. You’re our family.”

When asked how she feels Thai Bloom compares with other restaurants in the area, Wor’s comments all center on QUALITY. Every dish that the chefs prepare takes advantage of the best ingredients available. The food tastes amazing, and it’s really good for you. This commitment to quality makes Wor proud to represent the kitchen as a Server or a Manager. In like manner, the Front of the House does everything possible to offer the best service. The staff wants every guest to have a truly memorable dining experience.

As a connoisseur of Thai food, this story would not be complete without finding out which dishes Wor likes the best. Her favorites? Crying Tiger appetizer, Pumpkin Curry (a Fall-Winter special), Spicy Chicken with Basil, and Thai Yen Ta Fo.

Visit our NW Portland and get to know Wor in person!

At the turn of the new millennium, a young man of 18 years left his home in Oaxaca Mexico to join his older sister in America. Though the language and culture were completely foreign, he adapted quickly to his new homeland and excelled in his English classes. A strong work ethic enabled him to finish high school while working part-time as a dishwasher in a popular Beaverton eatery called Typhoon. Little did he know that his restaurant colleagues would become an extended “American” family.

That young man was Guadalupe Ramirez, known as “Nok” to Thai Bloom co-workers and patrons. The nickname is a Thai word that captures his habit of singing and whistling while he works. It has stayed with him through employment at three different Thai restaurants.

In the 16 years since meeting the people who launched Thai Bloom, Nok has worked virtually every job in the restaurant. From his early days as a dishwasher, he moved on to helping the line chefs cut vegetables and prepare meat for cooking. Thereafter, he transitioned to the front of the house by dressing the tables, attending to food delivery (a.k.a. “food running”), and bussing tables. As his skills continued to grow, his friendly personality made him a natural choice to serve as a Host and then a Server. You can even see him tending bar from time to time!

As one of Thai Bloom’s “Most Valuable Players,” Nok is always ready to take on extra responsibilities to help the restaurant succeed. One of his favorite assignments is training new employees when they join the team. His extensive knowledge on all aspects of restaurant operations combined with his expertise in Thai food and beverages make him an ideal choice for coaching.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Nok enjoys an active family life with his wife, Katie, and their three children – 2 adventuresome boys and a beautiful girl. Katie shares Nok’s passion for food service and works as a baker for Fred Meyer. Their schedules mesh perfectly to share parenting responsibilities and enjoy time together as a family. With all three children in school this Fall, they may even find a few moments for themselves!

Nok can’t imagine working anywhere else given the rich history with his co-workers and the superb working environment. He says that everyone on staff is comfortable working with everyone else. It feels like family with the added joy of striving to be the best at what they do together. Besides – how else would he get the opportunity to enjoy regular helpings of his favorite food – Thai Bloom’s world-renowned Pineapple Fried Rice and Drunken Noodles?

If you are in the Beaverton area, stop by and visit Nok. He’d love to help you have a wonderful dining experience.

If you’ve ever visited our Beaverton restaurant, chances are you’ve been greeted warmly by our Assistant Manager Nam Kaewborworn. A veteran Server, Hostess, and Assistant Manager, she joined the Thai Bloom! family when we opened our doors for business. As she has become so dear to many of our regular guests, we thought you’d like to know a little bit about her.

Nam was born and raised in Bangkok, Thailand. She lived with her parents and younger brother amidst a cluster of homes that her grandparents built to house their children and grandchildren. With no fences separating the back yards, all of the cousins grew up together as if they were one big family. Regular gatherings at Grandma’s house kept everyone in close connection – a bond that remains strong to this day.

College years provided the opportunity for Nam to live and work abroad. She joined her Uncle’s staff as a Server at his Thai restaurant in Australia.

Nam traveled to Portland after college to attend graduate school. After receiving her Master’s degree in marketing from City University of Seattle, she decided to try her hand in real estate. It was a difficult market at the time, prompting Nam to consider other options.

As one who loves Thai food, Nam sampled the food at many establishments throughout the Greater Portland Area. She was particularly impressed by the cuisine, presentation, and atmosphere at the Typhoon! restaurant in downtown Portland. She applied for a position and worked there for several years as a Server and Assistant Manager. While saddened by the closing of that business, she was delighted to join her colleagues at Thai Bloom! a short year later.

When asked what she enjoys about Thai Bloom!, the food remains a stand-out. She says the Thai Bloom! chefs are very creative in that they take traditional Thai food and “fusion it” with a taste of the Pacific Northwest. While all of the dishes still have a distinctive Thai flavor, they find a fresh expression on the Thai Bloom! menu.

Nam also appreciates the sense of family that she experiences at the restaurant. “I love the diversity of the staff. We come from different places and walks of life, yet we all work together harmoniously,” she says. “It is a wonderful place to work.”

Among the things Nam values about her employers is the flexibility they give her to pursue her passion – Latin competitive ballroom dancing. In addition to extensive training, she takes trips regularly from San Francisco to Miami to compete. And, of course, she also takes time every year to visit family in Thailand and travel the countryside.