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Chef Kasem (Pop) Saengsawang
Chef Kasem Saengsawang (also known as ‘Pop’) is a chef and owner of multiple restaurants, originally from Thailand. He graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in San Francisco. He opened ‘Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine’ in 2015 and within months was able to open its branch in Portland, Oregon.

Early life and education
Kasem Saengsawang was born on June 3rd, 1983 in Loei, a small town in Northeastern Thailand. He used to accompany his grandparents to the market, in his childhood, to have fresh food the cooking for their family of 15 people. He learned cooking from his maternal and parental grandparents. one of whom specialized in Thai cuisine, while the other was an expert in Laotian food.

He left his hometown to attend middle and high school at King’s College, in Thailand. He received his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Suan Dusit Rajabhat University. In 2005, he moved to the US, where, he worked in a restaurant as a dishwasher, then moved up to be a prep staff, server, bartender, manager, line cook, and business partner. Eventually, he opened a Japanese restaurant in San Mateo, which he sold before opening Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine. To pursue his passion for cooking, he attended Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in San Francisco.

Career
After he graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in San Francisco, Saengsawang decided to open his own business by the name of ‘Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine, with his wife Kumuth Chatterjee, in 2015. The menu and internal design of his first Farmhouse Kitchen were inspired by his childhood. His business grew quickly and by 2021, Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine has 5 locations; San Francisco, Oakland, Menlo Park – California, and 2 locations in Portland, Oregon. He has, also, opened 3 pop-up locations as Farmhouse Express to provide more convenient pick-up for guests as well as provide jobs for our staff during the pandemic. In addition to it, he has also become the owner of Daughter Thai Kitchen – which specializes in Southern Thai Food in Oakland, and also Son&Garden – New American cuisine in San Francisco and Menlo Park.

Personal life
Chef Kasem Saengsawang lives with his wife, Kumuth Chatterjee, and two children. Aside from his business, he also supports Thai tradition and culture through in-house and outdoor events.