How a Lao Chef’s Cookbook Became Her Greatest Legacy

Text by: Jason Rolan

Photos by: Mick Shippen

When Chef Ponpailin ‘Noi’ Kaewduangdee attended the glittering Asia’s 50 Best awards ceremony in Seoul earlier this year, she made history. Her Vientiane restaurant, Doi Ka Noi, had become the first Lao establishment ever featured on the prestigious list. Months later, the 45-year-old chef’s unexpected passing would close the restaurant forever—but her greatest legacy was yet to be fully realized.

A Rising Star Cut Short

Doi Ka Noi had earned its reputation through Noi’s commitment to authentic Lao recipes and ever-changing seasonal menus. The restaurant’s philosophy reflected the chef’s deep connection to her culinary heritage, with many dishes inspired by recipes passed down from her grandmother or discovered during travels to remote Lao villages.

Lao cuisine, with its emphasis on fresh herbs, fermented fish sauce, and sticky rice, has long remained one of Southeast Asia’s best-kept culinary secrets. Noi was determined to change that. She was the first and only Lao member of the Slow Food movement, dedicated to preventing the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions.

Her constantly evolving menus celebrated whatever seasonal ingredients were freshest at local markets, introducing diners to the complex flavors and time-honored techniques that define Lao cooking.

International Recognition

Before her passing, Chef Noi collaborated with her husband, British writer and photographer Mick Shippen, to publish A Child of the Rice Fields: Recipes from Noi’s Lao Kitchen in late 2024. The 500-page volume showcases traditional Lao recipes while telling the deeply personal story of a chef devoted to preserving her culinary heritage.

In June, the cookbook was honored at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Lisbon, Portugal, an event often described as the Olympics of food publishing. Competing against hundreds of entries from around the globe, A Child of the Rice Fields took first place for “Best Asian Cookbook.”

The book was also named runner-up in the “Best Cookbook in the World” category and fourth in the “Food Heroes” category, which celebrates individuals who safeguard culinary traditions.

“Thank you, Noi and Mick, for this 500-page tribute to the heart and soul of Lao cuisine,” said Edouard Cointreau, President and Founder of the Gourmand Awards. “The world truly needed this passionate, generous, and beautifully illustrated guide.”

Preserving a Culinary Legacy

The impact of A Child of the Rice Fields continues to grow worldwide. British celebrity chef Nigella Lawson praised it as “a big, beautiful, lovingly created book: a feast for the curious cook and a comprehensive and intimately authoritative primer on a fascinating culinary culture.”

Speaking at the Lisbon awards ceremony, Mick reflected on the bittersweet recognition: “I am so proud but heartbroken she was not with me to hear the praise and adoration for our work.”

He has vowed to continue Noi’s mission, completing two additional books they had begun together—one on the ethnic foods of Northern Laos and another on the fruits, vegetables, and foraged foods found in Lao markets.

“We have completed more than half of the recipes for the Northern Laos book, and although finishing it without Noi will be a difficult and emotional task, I need to do it for her,” Mick explains. “When she passed away, a huge amount of knowledge was lost. We had so much more planned to ensure Lao culinary culture was preserved and promoted.”

A Global Impact

The cookbook has reached readers across continents, from Australia to Poland, Switzerland to Taiwan. For many, it represents their first deep encounter with Lao cuisine—a testament to Noi’s vision of sharing her culture with the world.

“Noi, through her restaurant and book, did more than anyone to promote Lao food internationally,” says Mick. “Over the last few weeks, I have received hundreds of messages from people around the world expressing their sadness and recalling fond memories of her and dining at Doi Ka Noi.”

A Child of the Rice Fields stands as the most comprehensive cookbook capturing the depth and diversity of Lao flavors, significantly contributing to the safeguarding of the nation’s culinary heritage. Through her work, Noi ensured that the stories and spirit of Lao cuisine continue to reach kitchens and hearts around the world, one dish, and one story at a time.

“If interest in Lao food continues to grow around the world, it will be largely due to Noi,” reflects Mick. “That fills me with pride, but also breaks m

y heart that she is not here to see how important she was.”

For more information or to purchase the book in Laos, contact Doi Ka Noi: fb.com/DoiKaNoiVientiane