B.C. restaurant crowned best in North America; announces expansion to Granville Island

Baan Lao Duck Larb. Photo by Luis Valdizon /Baan Lao

Article content

Five years ago, chef Nutcha Phanthoupheng and her husband, John Phanthouphen, opened a restaurant in Steveston Village.

Article content

Located at 4100 Bayview St., the goal of the Richmond outpost was to present the perfectionist traditions of Thai Royal cuisine. Oh, and to also become known as the best Thai restaurant in North America.

Article content

Article content

Article content

Article content

In a few short years, they’ve more than met that goal.

Article content

Article content

At the 2026 World Culinary Awards this week, Baan Lao was crowned the best restaurant in North America. It was also named the best restaurant in Canada at the event for the third consecutive year. The awards are voted on online by members of the culinary community, industry experts and diners, according to the awards website.

Article content

The win, John Phanthoupheng notes, is an “incredible honour.” He said the award validates the restaurant team’s dedication to their original mission.

Article content

“This milestone reflects our wholehearted commitment to sharing authentic Thai flavours with the world,” John Phanthoupheng says.

Article content

For Nutcha Phanthoupheng, the recognition further underscores her shift from a career in nursing and cancer research to a professional chef.

Article content

“It encourages me and my team to keep improving,” she says of the wins. “I wanted people to look at Thai food in a new way. Thai food is not only street food. I wanted to make good food and make people happy.

Article content

“Now I feel confident I can do more.”

Article content

Chef Nutcha Phanthoupheng of Baan Lao. Photo by Baan Lao /Handout

Article content

That ambition to do more will include the expansion of Baan Lao’s footprint with two new locations. They already operate a second dining concept inside Time Out Market at Oakridge Park called MaKaam, which serves up modern, artisan Thai dishes.

Article content

Article content

Baan Baan on Granville Island will be a late-night, sea- and farm-to-table dining concept that puts charcoal-grilled proteins front and centre on the menu, along with other Isaan or Norther Thai dishes. It will be a more casual approach than the original.

Article content

Article content

The new restaurant will feature a “waterfall bar” and a retractable solarium for indoor-outdoor dining, according to the pair.

Article content

The second new spot, Le KaNom, will be a hot spot for Thai desserts, including dairy and gluten-free offerings. Both restaurants will be located, side by side, at the Chain & Forge Building (1425 Anderson St.).

Article content

The two new additions to the Phanthoupheng’s portfolio will complete the trifecta of ideas that chef Phanthoupheng originally had when she set out on her own restaurant journey.

Article content

“I had three different concepts in mind. Royal Thai fine dining at Baan Lao. Elevated, healthy street food at MaKaam. And now Isaan food at Baan Baan,” explains Nutcha Phanthoupheng. “I don’t want to do the same thing. I want to challenge myself, too.”

Article content

Baan Baan will represent a culinary homecoming of sorts for the chef, who is from Khon Kaen, in the heart of northeastern Thailand.