While in Hollywood, vegan celebrities and influencers are pretty easy to come by, it’s a much more difficult task to locate one in The Land of Smiles. That is, unless you know Richie Kul: model, actor, and dedicated activist for the animals.
Born in Bangkok but raised in the US, Richie is back in Bangkok, using his good looks for a good purpose. When he’s not appearing in commercials or in a Thai lakorn, this well-spoken influencer is using his platform to raise awareness about the benefits of going plant-based. Often seen with his four-legged ride-or-die Lily, Richie enjoys exploring Bangkok’s growing vegan dining scene, and we couldn’t think of a better celebrity to share his favourite F&B hotspots for Jay season in Thailand.
Favourite Café:
I fell in love with eat.co when I visited Koh Phangan a few years ago and was so excited when they opened their Bangkok branch in Phrom Phong last year. Everything on the menu is on point, but my all-time favourite is the Perfect Eggsample—an uncanny spin on the classic egg mayo sandwich.
Favourite Date Spot:
The newly opened Earth House in Thonglor has quickly surged to the top of my go-to list. The charming garden ambience, innovative dishes, and incredibly friendly staff make for a reliably wonderful experience.
Clean Food Vegan or Junk Food Vegan?
Definitely a junk food vegan—I’m here for the pizza, burgers, and mac and cheese! However, I do make an effort to integrate healthy whole foods into my daily routine. Lately, I’ve gotten into making my own hummus, guacamole, and kombucha.
What’s your favourite regional cuisine and where do you find good vegan versions of it in Bangkok?
I absolutely love the rich, hearty flavours of Indian food. When I was vegetarian, my go-to dishes were always saag paneer and paneer tikka masala with naan and papadum. Now I get delicious vegan versions of all my favourites at Munchbox by Nidhi, Carrots: The Vegan Bistro, Suananda, and Pranaa.
Favourite Dish to Make at Home:
My favourite dish to make is tofu larb. Here’s the simple, 30-minute recipe I contributed to Edgar’s Mission cookbook:
1⁄4 cup of rice | 1 pack of firm tofu| 8 oz of mushrooms | 1⁄2 onion | 1⁄2 lemon | fresh mint | mushroom soy sauce or other light, mild soy sauce | chilli powder
Toast the rice over low heat with a small amount of vegetable oil until brown. Grind with a mortar and pestle, and set aside. Fry cubed firm tofu in vegetable oil over high heat for eight minutes, until brown. Add the sliced mushrooms and thinly sliced onions, and cook for an additional five minutes. Mix in the rice powder, lemon juice, some fresh mint, mushroom soy sauce, and a teaspoon of chilli powder. Serve over quinoa or rice and enjoy.
What’s your drink?
A good margarita has always been my drink of choice.
Go-To Vegan Dessert:
The brownies from Carrots, the chocolate chip cookies from alt.Eatery, or the Snickers cheesecake from eat.co!
What kinds of vegan dishes would you like to see more of in Bangkok?
I’d love to see some good hotpot, teppanyaki, and okonomiyaki options. Some more ramen options would also be amazing!
Tip for Going Plant-Based:
The best piece of advice I can give people on the fence with participating in the Jay Festival or partaking in the vegan lifestyle in general is to have fun with it and to not be held back by preconceived notions of what vegan or Jay food is like. Yes, it can be raw macrobiotic salads. Yes, it can be also fried, oil-laden street food. Customise the experience for yourself.
Keep up with Richie at @richiekul on Instagram.
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