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  Image: Anglo Thai 

 

 

 

 [Food &amp; Drink](/life/food-drink) 

 



 /  16 April 2025  

#  3 Plates &amp; A Playlist: John Chantarasak  


 John Chantarasak is the chef behind AngloThai – the Marylebone restaurant that took just three months to win a Michelin star earlier this year. John’s also a former musician, making him a prime candidate for our 3 Plates &amp; A Playlist series. Just before he shares his recipes and musical choices, we asked him a bit about what makes music and food such a good pairing…  
 

 



 

  Image: Anglo Thai 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 [ ![Anglo Thai](https://media.slman.com/s5YtAEdB0-1NgfE8h_2JzqfWzS8=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsw18.sheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F04%2Fcharliemckayanglotha-2-port.jpg?itok=OHBjqeWT)

 

 ](https://anglothai.co.uk/) 

Anglo Thai  


 

CHARLIE MCKAY

 

 

 

 

 

## Do music and food go together, John?

They come hand in hand. My best friend is in the music industry, and I was a drummer in a past life, so I have many friends in that field. Turning my hand to food and hospitality was an obvious and easy transition after playing music in my youth. There are so many overlaps in terms of creativity, personal drive and motivation in order to find success in these sorts of industries. I also couldn’t imagine eating a meal in silence without music setting the scene and ambience. At home, we choose a record to play on vinyl to accompany dinners. It’s as important to us as choosing the bottle of wine to drink with our meal.

## We take it you cook with music on then? 

I always cook with music on – honestly, I can’t get through most daily tasks without it. I’ve spent hours researching the speakers and equipment at [AngloThai](https://anglothai.co.uk/) to make sure the sound is perfect for both our team and guests. I don’t have a set playlist, but I’m lucky to work with a company called LOCI (shout out to Dan Spinney) on a constantly evolving AngloThai radio stream that runs 24/7. The algorithms are based on playlists I’ve created with my best friend Ben Baptie, a pro music engineer, and they adjust to different energy levels throughout the day. At home, it’s the same – music is always on in the background. I really can’t live without it.

## Is there a single song that captures the hustle and bustle of cooking at AngloThai?

Our music taste in the kitchen is quite eclectic, but if we’re talking hustle and bustle, it would be something upbeat like ‘Don Sawai Lam Plearn’ by The Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band. They’re a great outfit from Bangkok that blend traditional and contemporary Thai music styles.

 

 [ ![Anglo Thai](https://media.slman.com/4kci8j4IHXNs4cojaB4fTydid08=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsw18.sheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F04%2Fcharliemckayanglothai6736.jpg?itok=q4-YNdvQ)

 

 ](https://anglothai.co.uk/) 

Anglo Thai  


 

CHARLIE MCKAY

 

 

 

 

 

 

## And talk to us about all-time favourite songs…

Talking Heads’ ‘This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)’ is my favourite song of all time. It’s just perfect. Desiree and I had it as our first dance at our wedding, remixed with Whitney Houston’s ‘How Will I Know’ – another banger. Prince's ‘Purple Rain’ is a total classic. I became obsessed with him after hearing it. Purple soon became my favourite colour, and it’s why we chose it as AngloThai’s brand colour – the restaurant’s exterior is painted purple, with little touches throughout the space to match. ‘Last Nite’ by the Strokes inspired me to move to New York City at 18 years old in search of fame and glory as a musician.

## If your kitchen crew at AngloThai had an anthem, what would it be? 

‘My Hero’ by Foo Fighters. It's an absolutely massive tune and summarises them all – they’re all heroes to me.

## What do you listen to when you’re not in the kitchen?

Days off are all about recharging. We often play classical music – Beethoven or Mozart – and I love listening to Henry Mancini’s compositions too. He’s behind the scores for iconic films and TV shows like *The Pink Panther*, *Breakfast at Tiffany’s* and *Peter Gunn*. His music is rich, multilayered and timeless, with that perfect mix of beauty and complexity.

## Onto the playlist itself – what’s on there?

I’ve picked a mix of tracks I’m currently playing on repeat – some old favourites, others fresh discoveries I can’t stop spinning. Like the playlists at AngloThai, it starts mellow and ramps up, with the final songs shifting into full dance mode. By the end, you’ll definitely be grooving. The energy builds throughout, reflecting the constant evolution of my music taste, much like my approach to cooking. I’m always on the move, never settling, and I find that flow in both the kitchen and my playlists.

 



 

 

 

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## *Feeling inspired? John’s also shared three great recipes…*

 

 

 

 

 [ ![](https://media.slman.com/Li2C-ptkUYG3vD36JepyHEGAuFI=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsw18.sheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F04%2Fgrilled-aubergine.jpg?itok=X2-Kn6vT)

 

 ](https://anglothai.co.uk/) 

 

 

 

## Grilled Aubergine Salad, Soft Egg &amp; Shrimp Floss

*This salad hails from Isaan, the northeastern region of Thailand. It is traditionally made with long green aubergines, but they’re hard to find in the UK, so I use long purple aubergines (Japanese variety) or the more common Italian ones. Grilled over hot coals, the aubergines take on a smoky, luxurious flavour, but you can achieve the same effect by charring them on your gas hob or under a hot grill. Just make sure to cook them on very high heat to blacken the skins while keeping the insides juicy. The warm aubergine is then paired with aromatic herbs and a spicy-sour dressing, finished with an umami hit from dried shrimp floss.*



Serves

 4 

 



Total Time

 40 Minutes 

 



 

 

Ingredients

Ingredients:  


   2 tbsp of palm sugar  

   1 tbsp of water  

   1½ tbsp of fish sauce  

   2 tbsp of lime juice  

   1 tsp of toasted chilli powder  

   4tbsp of dried shrimp  

   1 large hen’s egg, at room temperature  

   2 long aubergines (or a regular Italian aubergine)  

   ½ small red onion, thinly sliced with the grain of the onion  

   2 makrut lime leaves (fresh or frozen), finely shredded  

   4 tbsp of coriander leaves  

   3 tbsp of mint leaves  

 



 

 



Method

 Step 1 

Make a salad dressing by combining the palm sugar, water, fish sauce, lime juice and chilli powder together, making sure the palm sugar is completely dissolved. It will taste spicy, sweet, and sour with a salty finish. Set aside.

 Step 2 

Make the shrimp floss by pounding the dried shrimp in a stone pestle and mortar until a floss-like texture is achieved. Alternatively, use a spice grinder or blender to achieve a light flossed texture

 Step 3 

Bring a small pan of water to the boil and cook the egg to your liking. I prefer an egg with a fudgy yolk, so I boil it for 6 minutes before plunging it in ice water. Once cool enough to handle, peel the egg.

 Step 4 

Grill the aubergines over hot coals, or over the highest flame on your home cooker, or under a very hot grill. The skins need to be completely blackened so the flesh inside becomes soft and tender with a smoky flavour. Set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel the blackened skins and discard. Roughly chop the aubergine flesh while still warm and arrange on a serving plate.

 Step 5 

Combine the sliced red onion, makrut lime leaf, coriander and mint in a mixing bowl with the dressing. Gently toss the salad together and arrange over the aubergine, pouring over any remaining dressing. Halve the soft-boiled egg and arrange over the salad. Finish by generously sprinkling with the shrimp floss.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 [ ![](https://media.slman.com/djDDFMWUmrkuLKtCpefYDbVdMUg=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsw18.sheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F04%2Fwtir-fried-beef.jpg?itok=HWg1jvpu)

 

 ](https://anglothai.co.uk/) 

 

 

 

## Stir-Fried Beef &amp; Holy Basil ‘Pad Grapao’

*This is the ultimate Thai comfort food and one of my go-to dishes. It’s seriously addictive, so mastering it at home is a game-changer. Pad grapao is packed with savoury, spicy, and salty flavours, plus the smoky hit from wok-hei – the ‘breath of the wok’ that cooks talk of when stir-frying. The dish gets its aromatic lift from holy basil, though if you can’t find it, sweet Thai basil works just as well.*



Serves

 2-3 

 



Total Time

 25 Minutes 

 



 

 

Ingredients

Ingredients:  


   2 tbsp of oyster sauce  

   1 tbsp of light soy sauce  

   1 tbsp of fish sauce  

   1 tsp of caster sugar  

   6 bird’s eye chillies  

   2 tbsp of garlic, peeled &amp; chopped  

   1 tsp of salt  

   6 tbsp of vegetable oil  

   2 large eggs  

   220g of beef fillet, roughly hand chopped  

   3 tbsp of fine green beans, topped &amp; tailed, then cut into 3cm pieces  

   3 tbsp of beef stock or water  

   40g of holy basil leaves (or sweet Thai basil)  

 



 

Chillies And Fish Sauce:  


   8 bird’s eye chillies, chopped  

   1 clove of garlic, finely minced  

   6 tbsp of fish sauce  

   1 tbsp of lime juice  

 



 

 



Method

 Step 1 

For the chillies and fish sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix. Let stand for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.

 Step 2 

Combine the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce and caster sugar in a small bowl. This will be your seasoning sauce. It should taste savoury and salty with a background sweetness.

 Step 3 

Using a pestle and mortar, pound the chillies, garlic and salt together to achieve a coarse paste. This will be your stir-fry paste.

 Step 4 

In a wok, heat the vegetable oil until smoking hot. One at a time, crack the eggs into the hot oil and allow to fry until crispy on the bottom and edges. Spoon the hot oil over the eggs to cook the yolk, turning it opaque but keeping it runny. Drain on absorbent paper and keep warm while you cook the stir-fry.

 Step 5 

Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, then heat over a medium flame. Add the stir-fry paste and stir vigorously so the paste becomes fragrant, around 30 seconds. Turn the heat to high and add the chopped beef, then continue to stir-fry until the beef is half cooked. Add the green beans and seasoning sauce. Continue to move the ingredients around the wok so that the vegetables are tender but retain a bite, and the beef is cooked to a blushing pink.

 Step 6 

Add the stock and allow to simmer briefly. Check the seasoning – it should taste spicy, salty and slightly background sweet from the oyster sauce and sugar. If it tastes too intense, add a splash more stock to the wok. Add the holy basil leaves and toss everything together so the basil wilts. Serve over plates of freshly steamed jasmine rice with the crispy fried eggs and a bowl of chillies and fish sauce on the side.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 [ ![](https://media.slman.com/vT6S--rSqALX9PI-PTR1SvvYfO8=/800x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fsw18.sheerluxe.com%2Fsites%2Fslman%2Ffiles%2Farticles%2F2025%2F04%2Foyster.jpg?itok=x4aNMug6)

 

 ](https://anglothai.co.uk/) 

 

 

 

## Carlingford Oyster &amp; Sea Buckthorn ‘Nahm Jim’

*A mainstay of mine since 2017, when I first served a version of this dish at a pop-up in Yangon. Nahm jim is a traditional Thai sauce that marries spicy, sour and salty flavours together in perfect harmony. There are many different versions of this sauce, but in this recipe, I use sea buckthorn, a native orange berry, to bring sourness and a background tropical fruit flavour. This is a streamlined version of the recipe we make at the restaurant to make it achievable at home.*



Serves

 4 

 



Total Time

 15 Minutes 

 



 

 

Ingredients

Ingredients:  


   1 long red chilli, seeds removed &amp; chopped  

   2 red bird’s eye chillies, chopped  

   1 tbsp of coriander root, cleaned &amp; chopped (or coriander stem)  

   1 tbsp of garlic, peeled &amp; chopped  

   ½ tsp of salt  

   4 tbsp of sea buckthorn juice (unsweetened)  

   1 tbsp of lime juice  

   2.5 tbsp of fish sauce  

   2 tbsp of caster sugar  

   12 live Carlingford oysters  

   Crushed ice, to serve (optional)  

 



 

 



Method

 Step 1 

Make the nahm jim by pounding the chillies, coriander root, garlic and salt with a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste. Add the sea buckthorn juice, lime juice, fish sauce and caster sugar, then mix everything well so the sugar dissolves. Set aside for 5 minutes, allowing the flavours to mellow and marry together.

 Step 2 

Shuck the oysters and clean them of any shell fragments. Tip away most of the oyster liquid, then spoon the sea buckthorn sauce over each oyster – about a tablespoon for each. Rest the shells on a bowl of crushed ice and serve immediately.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

*To book a table at AngloThai, head to* [*AngloThai.co.uk*](https://anglothai.co.uk/) *&amp; follow* [*@EnglishHippy*](https://www.instagram.com/englishhippy/?hl=en-gb)

 

 

 

 

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