An unexpected treat awaited shoppers toting shopping baskets and pushing trolleys at Sovereign Supermarket last week as they were afforded a culinary trip to Thailand.

Authentic Thai cuisine, by way of live demonstrations, was ready for the tasting as Sovereign shoppers sampled fare whipped up by chef Mayuree Saipetch.

The in-resident Asian chef at Couples Resort Tower Isle in St Mary, Saipetch, a Thai native herself, prepared Pad Thai stir-fried noodles and Gang Gai red curry chicken, which went over well with curious shoppers.

“I love the spicy flavour,” Kyle Samuels, event planner at Bookophilia, shared between forkfuls of his sample of Pad Thai noodles. “I am now officially a convert to Thai cuisine,” he admitted as the food in his cup quickly vanished.

The food demonstration at Sovereign Supermarket, which ran from Thursday to Saturday of last week, was facilitated by Thalia Lyn, Jamaica’s Honorary Consul to Thailand. Lyn entertained a visiting contingent from the Department of International Trade Promotion, the North American-based arm of the Thai government, which showcased the diverse import retail offerings available locally on supermarket shelves that included green and red curry pastes, jasmine rice, canned coconut milks, and canned tunas.

“The Royal Thai Consulate General and Thai Trade Center in Miami collaborated to create more awareness of Thai cuisine and culture through cooking and tasting of Thai food and Thai dancing,” Lyn told Thursday Life.

Lyn, who revealed that Pad Thai, “or any rice noodles, hot or cold with crushed peanut topping” is her favourite Thai dish, expressed pride with the tangible gains she has made in her 10-year stewardship as honorary consul.

“Tourism, trade and exports from Thailand to Jamaica have increased tenfold, not only in foodstuff but also in auto parts, motor vehicles and orchids,” Lyn divulged.

“Thailand has just 100 coconut seeds, strain resistant to lethal yellow, to the Coconut Industry Board as a result of my taking the last ambassador to meet with officials there.”

In light of the bilateral relations being fostered, Lyn said trade cannot be a one-way street. “My counterpart in Thailand, the Honorary Consulate General of Jamaica Dr Jingjai, and I have been working on exporting Jamaican products to Thailand. I’ve sent Blue Mountain coffee beans pricing as well as pricing on Appleton rum.”