MEET THE FOOD ARTISANS: TAN KHUN ORGANIC FARM

TAAN is proud to spotlight Thailand’s best independent food artisans. Join us on a quick but insightful trip to Tan Khun Organic Farm, home to some of the country’s most renowned chicken. 

Venture about an hour outside of Bangkok to neighbouring Nakhon Pathom and you may be amazed by all the greenery that surrounds you.

Here, among the verdant countryside, sits Tan Khun Organic Chicken Farm. Led by Khun Amnart Reansoi, a group of farmers banded together to form a cooperative where they breed and raise local chickens using traditional organic methods.

Having worked in the poultry industry for several years, Khun Amnart became disillusioned with what he saw as the industrialised nature of farming chickens. The only option, then, was to set up his own farm.

At Tan Khun Farm, the chickens are given plenty of space to roam and explore. Amnart grows his own organic rice to ensure his birds follow a completely organic diet, and he also works closely with other ethically minded producers to produce natural medicines to give them the best life possible.

This farm in Nakhon Pathom hopes to spread the good word not only about the health benefits of consuming organic chicken, but also sustainable living in general.

Unfortunately, the chicken found in many supermarkets and wet markets around Thailand have been raised in cramped and squalid conditions that are unhealthy for both the animal and the people who work with them.

That’s thankfully not the case at Tan Khun Farm. Through a process of trial and error, they arrived at feeding their chicken a mixture of organic rice bran and commonly found herbs such as green chiretta and sun-dried poppy to optimise their natural growth. These natural-fed chicken contain no hormones or antibiotics, which provides a win-win situation—more chickens live and die humanely while more people get to eat healthy, nutritious chicken.

TAAN’s Chef Thep and Amnart share a similar philosophy of embracing organic ingredients and, where possible, traditional practices. Amnart has previously joined us at the restaurant for our Farmers’ Talk series of dinners and we value his wisdom.

TAAN is proud to spotlight Tan Khun’s Tapao Thong chicken on its Sathit menu. These chicken are given longer to mature than those raised at commercial farms, and the result is a firm, chewy texture that’s still deliciously moist.

Stay tuned for more stories on local, independent food artisans who pride themselves on ethical practices.