“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!