Meet the Tongdam Team at Dulverton:
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TINO – Manager / Co Founder : Was born in a small village named Taitoong, near the famous Chatree Gold Mine, half way between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, in the Pichit Province.
He learnt the restaurant business back in Bangkok, quickly rising to the position of Manager at the Thai-Chin Restaurant, a beautiful Colonial building off Sathorn Road, and now owned by the Blue Elephant Restaurant chain and well worth a visit should you find yourself in Bangkok. He then moved to the equally beautiful Supattra River House Restaurant, built around the owner’s old family home and sharing space with their family museum and classical Thai Arts Centre. Resting on the bank of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River, it overlooks the spectacular Royal Grand Palace.
Tino was headhunted by a Bangkok based restaurant chain that had purchased a restaurant opposite London’s Harrods Department Store in Knightsbridge.
This gave him the opportunity he had been looking for and he packed his bags and headed for our famous British climate ! This move was short lived, but with his Thai contacts, joined the Management Team of the Sugar Hut Restaurant in Fulham, where he built a solid reputation. This stylish restaurant, which is the dining room pictured with Tino and friend at the bottom of our stairs, has a superb ambience.
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ROBERT – Co Founder : Born in Guildford, Surrey but spent the last six years of childhood in Cornwall, schooling in Launceston and living in a small hamlet near Coads Green with the producer of Rick Stein’s favourite Cornish Clotted Cream, Barbara Lake as a neighbour, and when passing, still drops in to buy that irresistible product and which sometimes is available in the Dessert Menu !
His work history was not within the catering industry but it had been his ambition to open a restaurant for over 20 years. He has lived and travelled within the Far East, living in both Singapore and Hong Kong for a total of three years. He has toured Malaysia, China, Philippines, Japan, Macau and of course Thailand. Whilst living in Hong Kong during the mid 80’s, he met up with Bruno, a good friend and superb French Chef, in Singapore and mused over the idea of opening an East-meets-West style of restaurant. The seed of an idea grew from that point and now 20 years on, those seeds have started to flower in the form of Tongdam Thai Restaurant, Dulverton. Have you tried Tongdam’s East-meets-West Set Lunch Menu ? |
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JOH –Head Waiter : Born
in the North East of Thailand in Amnatcharoen, he worked
with Tino in Bangkok at the Thai Chin Restaurant and
later as Head Waiter for the Bangkok Blue Elephant Restaurant.
He was to us the obvious choice, when looking to fill
the post of Head Waiter. He joined us in the Summer of
2006, having never travelled out of Thailand before !
Bangkok to Dulverton, what better way to introduce someone
to the UK ! |
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HENG - Head Chef : Born in Thailand, he started work as a chef at the young age of 14 and has remained in this industry ever since. Leaving behind a wife, three children in Bangkok and a good position at the Shangri-La Hotel, he came to work in the UK back in early 2004. With Tino's Thai connections we came to hear of Heng's culinary skills and travelled to the Midlands to sample his food and afterwards, offered him a position on the spot ! He is an important part of the Team and has a wealth of knowledge, always surprising us with new ideas and variations. |
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KAEK – Second Chef : Born in Nakornsawan, which is located in the Pichit Province of Thailand, she began her working life as a Nursery Teacher. Kaek married and had a son, Noppawong, who is now studying Movie Film production in Bangkok. After three years in teaching, Kaek decided to move away from Thailand and applied for a position at the Rumwong Restaurant in Guildford, where she first met Tee our Assistant Chef and started her climb of the kitchen, starting as a Porter and ending as Head Chef, a great achievement in the space of just five years. Various positions followed, moving to the Khunarkorn Restaurant, late of Knightsbridge and finally meeting up again with Tee down at the River Kwai Restaurant in Kent. After a period working there, she moved and worked with Tee as Head Chef and Partner for many years before moving back to Thailand to be with her son. She returned to the UK, where we tempted her down to Dulverton and she has now become a key team player, bringing with her a wide knowledge and wealth of experience in both Thai and English cuisine. |
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TEE – Assistant Chef & Front of House : Born in Bangkok, Tee studied at the Commercial School for Sales & Marketing. After finishing his studies in 1979, he decided to travel and came to the UK, working at one of the first Thai Restaurants in the UK, the Rumwong in Guildford. He based himself at this restaurant for the next five years, working in Front of House and then made the decision to remain permanently in the UK, eventually becoming a British Citizen. He then moved to the Chaopraya Restaurant near Bond Street in London and once again worked in Front of House. Five years on and he had had enough of London ! Moving down to Canterbury, he worked for two years at the River Kwai Restaurant before setting up his own Restaurant which he managed for some fifteen years.
After selling the business, Tee moved back to Thailand for two years before returning to join Tongdam down in Dulverton and becoming a valued member of the Team. |
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We also have a great supporting Team who live within our community in the Dulverton and Exmoor area and whose faces are, I am sure, well known to many of you.
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