On March 7, 2024, the Royal Thai Embassy joined over 20 Embassies in Washington, D.C. at the 2024 Embassy Chef Challenge, organized by Events DC at Union Station.

Chef Wattanaphong Kongwattana, Head Chef of the Thai Ambassador’s Residence, and his team, won 3rd place for People’s Choice Award, from the votes of over 1,000 guests who attended the event. Chef Kongwattana served “Pla Goong” (Thai Shrimp Spicy Salad) and “Beef Massaman Curry” with Thai Hom Mali Rice, showcasing the balance and diverse flavors of Thai cuisine.

Food critics and notable chefs were invited as judges at the event included Monica Alford, Jarrett Melendez, Masako Morishita, Anna Spiegel, and Daniel Thomas. The judges and over 1,000 guests had the opportunity to taste the Thai cuisine presented by Chef Kongwattana. Many of the guests expressed their love for the food and came back to visit Thailand’s table many times. Those who had visited Thailand in the past talked fondly about their experiences and expressed their desire to revisit the country while those who had never tried Thai food nor visited Thailand took the opportunity to inquire more about the cuisine and the country as well as expressed their interest in visiting the country in the near future.

Other participating Embassies were Barbados, Bolivia, Chile, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Hungary, Georgia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Panama, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, The Gambia, Uganda, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

The Embassy would like to express gratitude to Friends of Thailand and the Thai community for their kind encouragement and support during this event.