The mountainous Thai province has emerged as a hub of sustainable agriculture, with forward-thinking chefs in its namesake city taking full advantage of the bounty of local produce.
Photographs by Marisa Marchitelli
Left to right: A footbridge leads to growing tunnels at Ori9in Farm, a half-hour drive from downtown Chiang Mai; Duck schnitzel with sesame bok choy at the farm’s Waiting for May restaurant.
Though dinner is still a few hours away, Phanuphon Bulsuwan is already guiding me on a remarkable culinary expedition. Not just backstage through his kitchen, but into storage rooms packed with large glass beakers, colorful cultures swirling inside. Better known as Chef Black, Bulsuwan is co-owner of Blackitch Artisan Kitchen, a compact restaurant whose dedication to hyperlocal ingredients and fermentation techniques has put the city of Chiang Mai on the global foodie map.