VI
EN
Recently, rumors have circulated that Supinya Junsuta (also known by her nickname Jay Fai), a famous street food chef in Bangkok, has announced plans to retire and may even close her "legendary" eatery by 2025.
However, in late October, the Bangkok Post reported that chef Supinya Junsuta had denied rumors of closing her restaurant in 2025 to retire. "Even though I'm getting older, I can still cook for 15 hours a day," she said. Previously, when asked about retirement by a reporter, she replied that she "has some new plans." The chef stated that she plans to travel to several countries to promote her dishes, so she has no intention of retiring anytime soon.
Jay Fai is known as the "Queen of Street Food" in Thailand.
Supinya Junsuta has reduced the number of operating days per week for Jay Fai restaurant from six to four and has repeatedly hinted at retiring soon. The chef previously shared with Thai media that running the restaurant at the age of 81 is tiring because she has to personally check the quality of ingredients early every morning.
Supinya Junsuta's restaurant, located in Phra Nakhok district, Bangkok, has maintained its Michelin star since 2018. In 2021, Jay Fai also won an award for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants and appeared in the Netflix series "Street Food".
She quickly refuted rumors that she was closing the restaurant to retire.
The most famous dish, and the one that brought the restaurant its reputation, is the crab omelet, simply made with beaten eggs mixed with crab meat, then fried and rolled up, served with fresh vegetables and chili sauce. Many tourists are willing to queue for up to four hours just to enjoy this dish.
In December 2023, Lisa (Black Pink) visited to congratulate Supinya Junsuta on receiving her 7th consecutive Michelin star.
Her restaurant is famous for being frequented by many celebrities.
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said it would be a shame if this famous street food stall had to close. It has long helped Thailand promote its "soft power" through its street food culture. Jay Fai is also known for elevating the reputation of Thai street food internationally.
Since her daughters will not inherit the business, Supinya Junsuta will share her recipes with others while also transitioning to other areas of the food industry, such as collaborative projects with Korean food companies.
