Chef Goo Goo: Rediscovering Myanmar’s Culinary Soul in Bangkok

Challenging assumptions, this self-taught chef invites diners to discover Myanmar’s layered regional cuisine

In Bangkok’s vibrant and ever-evolving food scene, Chef Goo Goo stands out not just for the dishes she cooks but for the narrative she brings to the table. Born Phyu Cyn in Yangon, she never followed a traditional kitchen path — she learned to cook by sharing meals with friends while studying communications and marketing in the UK and later pursued her passion for Burmese cuisine with an almost missionary zeal.

Now based in Bangkok, Goo Goo has become a familiar collaborator with restaurants, chefs, and food brands across Thailand and Europe, earning a reputation as an ambassador for the diversity and depth of Myanmar’s food culture. She is also preparing to open her own restaurant, a project that reflects her belief that her country’s cuisine is far more nuanced and varied than many diners assume.

Goo Goo is candid about the misconceptions she often encounters. “Many Thai people think that most Burmese food is oily and heavy, which comes from the curries served in some central Myanmar curry shops that use a lot of oil in cooking,” she explains, tracing that stereotype to historical cooking practices in Myanmar’s hotter, drier regions.

She contrasts that with the fresh, herb-rich food of northern and eastern regions influenced by Yunnan, and the seafood and lighter preparations of the west and south. “Burmese food has similarities with northern Thai cuisine in its balance of salty, spicy, sour, sweet, and bitter flavors, using less sugar in cooking,” she adds, offering insight into the cuisine’s complexity and surprising parallels with neighboring traditions.

For those new to Myanmar’s culinary landscape, Goo Goo recommends classic regional dishes like mohinga, a fish-based noodle soup fragrant with lemongrass and toasted rice, and laphet thohk, a refreshing fermented tea-leaf salad.

Through her cooking, stories, and forthcoming restaurant, Chef Goo Goo is inviting Bangkok diners to look beyond stereotypes and discover the rich and varied flavors of Myanmar, one plate at a time.

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