Family Thai: Bringing the Flavors of Thailand Home

James Beard–nominee and chef of the Thai restaurant International Market in Nashville, Arnold Myint shares how to make the Thai food he grew up with in a cookbook that is approachable yet packs a punch of flavor

Arnold Myint grew up as a restaurant kid and was lucky enough to be surrounded by delicious Thai food. His parents, Thai and Burmese immigrants, first opened Nashville’s International Market & Restaurant in 1975—a rarity in Tennessee, where Asian cuisine hadn’t quite expanded beyond Americanized Chinese takeout. The Myints were determined to introduce Americans to the fiery, bold, and fragrant Thai flavors that had always brought them comfort, and it turned out that a taste of Thailand was exactly what Nashville needed.

Almost 45 years later, after attending culinary school in New York City and working with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Arnold now owns and runs International Market, where he continues to serve the comforting, soul-feeding recipes of his mother while also jazzing things up with his own Thai-Southern flare. During the pandemic, Arnold began reaching out to an all-new audience as well through Instagram, teaching “Thai 101” basics to an ever-growing number of viewers.

Now Arnold—who also happens to be a fabulous drag queen under the alter ego Suzy Wong—is expanding his teaching on the food of Thailand to a vibrantly illustrated and designed cookbook. In Family Thai, Arnold breaks down an often-intimidating cuisine into accessible building blocks for every home cook, beginning with pantry staples—what’s fish sauce? what are the differences between soy sauces?—and moving on to teaching readers essential skills like how to steam the perfect sticky rice or how to make their own noodles if they can’t find them stocked nearby.

Arnold also shares what he likes to cook at home and adaptations of Thai cuisine that have been inspired by his hometown of Nashville and his travels around the world. From there, he takes us into the vibrant and colorful world of Thai street food—including shumai, shrimp toast, curry puffs, and more— classic noodle dishes, his own original creations, and, of course, his mother’s classic recipes. Longtime fans of International Market, who have been begging for their favorite classic recipes for years, will find them among these pages.

When Thais greet each other, they don’t ask how are you or what’s up? Instead, they ask, Kin lao yang? or have you eaten? Feeding people is how Patti and Win Myint—and now Arnold—show their love, not just for their family but for everyone within reach. In Family Thai, Arnold shares his boldly flavorful food and welcoming, heartfelt approach with home cooks everywhere.