Ken Hom is an international star of Chinese cuisine thanks to his television series for the BBC, but in Bangkok, it's his vegetarian dishes that he's famous for. On his latest visit, though, he's pulling out all the stops and cooking up an international range of flavours at the Oriental Hotel.

"On my first two visits to Bangkok I cooked a mixture of East and West," he says, "After that I did a lot of promotions of vegetarian dishes. Now, I'm going back to the original dishes I cooked here at the Oriental. These are the things I'm known best for."

The 57-year-old is here this time to cook his specialities at Lord Jim's restaurant.

It's been 23 years since Hom first made the trip to Bangkok, and his love for the city and the country has only grown over the many visits since then. In fact, he now has a pad in Bangkok's Lang Suan area, and even has plans to retire here.

Hom was born in the US state of Arizona after his parents emigrated from China. He lost his father when he was only eight, but his uncle who owned a restaurant Chicago's Chinatown introduced him to Chinese cooking and guided him through his early career.

The other side of Hom is the Western spirit he's absorbed through his study of art and history in France and his experience working all over the world since the early 1980s.

"I started working in the kitchen when I was 11 years old. I was inspired by my uncle and his passion for all things culinary. He taught me many things. It was from him that I got my own passion for food and cooking," he says.

Of course, his speciality is Chinese cuisine, but he's also well versed in other Asian food - Thai for instance. The dishes he cooks for himself are often Thai, he says.

"What I really like is khao tom, I often make that for myself, and phad thai."

Go to his website and you'll find several recipes for Thai curries.

"Europeans like Thai curries because they combine all the flavours: hot, sweet, sour and savoury, into something unique. And most Thai food isn't heavy.

"I was one of the first to write about the fusion of East and West in the early '80s and the Oriental is one of the first big, famous hotels to invite me to demonstrate this style."

Asked how he manages to mix such diverse traditions successfully, he admits that it's not easy. "What I strive for is food that tastes good, not to shock people but to make them happy."

Crispy pan-fried rice-paper-wrapped fish with chives, for example, might not sound to tricky for a young chef eager to emulate Hom's style, but the master has a word of caution.

"When I mix things, I do it very carefully with combinations that make sense. I don't try to re-invent the real. It's important to respect ingredients and respect each other's cuisine."

There is no pre-set formula and Hom says a lot of cooking is personal. "It comes from your heart. It also has to be something that you like to eat, it's part of your experience. That's important."

This time in Bangkok, diners can expect unique flavours, the very best ingredients and a simple style.

"The presentation is important but I try not to over-decorate, that's not my style. My style is to get you to eat everything on the plate. And food has to be eaten with the eyes as well as the mouth," he explains.

As well as teaching and cooking, Hom writes. So far, he's published 20 cookbooks, all best-sellers and all translated into many languages.

"I hope my books will help, but people have to cook with passion - a book can only be a guide.

"What's important is the spirit inside."

Juthamas Cholthavornpong

The Nation