Chef Seefah Ketchaiyo

Chef-Owner

Seefah Restaurant

The small, pleasant Thai-born chef is quietly placing her brand of Asian cuisine on the map in Bombay, having made the city her home since 2011. Chef Seefah does it deliciously so

Interviewed by LYLE MICHAEL

Bombay’s Beloved Thai Import 

As we dig into the Spicy Grilled Tenderloin Salad with a sunny side up looking right at us, we know we’re in for a truly traditional meal at this understated Asian restaurant in Bandra. What takes our experience to the next level though is dining with the very hands that made the meal, served with love, and expertise defined by 22 years in the hospitality industry. Chef Seefah Ketchaiyo is our most gracious and affable host at her namesake establishment, run with her Indian better half, Chef Karan Bane.

Seefah, the restaurant, has been in business since 2016 in effect, starting off as a delivery and catering model as the duo wanted to test the waters with something so different from what they were used to serving in the hotels. Chef Seefah elaborates, “In San:Qi at Four Seasons, Karan and I were in different departments and we were used to cooking as per the hotel regulations, for eg., the spice levels and ingredients used. But with running your own restaurant, it’s a whole other ball game.” A game the two have been playing well since Seefah began as a delivery service to a small 16-cover eatery on 16th Road in Bandra to a 60-cover restaurant on Hill Road in 2018, on the floor above where it currently stands. Then boom, the pandemic hit and a friend of theirs wanted to give up his space on the first floor (folks will remember the erstwhile Kaitlyn’s Beer Garden), which is where we’re dining today – in the 38-seater Seefah with its very own bar – a first for them – and artwork that gives you a little flavour of Thailand.

Seefah is comfort food by a chef who carries an air of ease with her... Especially for someone who moved bag and baggage to a city like ours just on a job offer in 2011 – Four Seasons came calling – fell in love and got married inter-faith in 2017 and has set up her own brand which adapted and sustained through the lockdowns. The same brand that is doing well today thanks to the support of regular patrons. All her efforts were not in vain. Just to count her blessings, Chef Seefah personally called each of her patrons post the pandemic to thank them for their love. As well as for the food she was being sent by home chefs who were all the rage during the lockdown.

Chef Seefah smiles and says, “Having our very own standalone has been both gratifying and challenging. It is such a responsibility and taking care of the staff who are like family is the most important aspect. During the lockdown, we ensured they were well-taken care of and employed to the best of our capability and they’ve been with us since we began.” Here’s an example of a boss who defies the normative definition of a person-in-charge and proves that an iron fist is not always the best method.

“Right from when we begin the restaurant service at 11 am to post lunch break at around 3, then reopening for dinner at 7 pm till about midnight, the staff are on point and Karan, and I, are right with them." It helps that they live a few minutes away at Mehboob Studios, beats the travel mania which we Bombayites know to be a sheer dread.

Being in the financial capital was not so different for the Bangkok-born chef who worked in Sofitel at Chiang Mai, followed by Shangri-La in Chengdu, China, for three and a half years before Bombay beckoned. Chef Seefah reminisces, “The people and the communication were different for me here as compared to China. I learnt the basics of Mandarin when I was there and was able to communicate in the kitchen. Here, there are so many languages. But as I work in the kitchen, learn and understand more, I can manage now.” We tell her she can more than manage with English. Hindi, we can check the next time around. As for Marathi, given her married family, well, let’s take it one step at a time, we say! And she has Karan right beside her, always, and to keep teaching her along the way. 

Karan’s support has been a major strongpoint for her, who FYI, is at the helm of the Japanese counters at Seefah. Chef Seefah handles the Thai cuisine. It’s a marriage that’s made in (culinary) heaven. Another inspiration has always been channeled through her force of a mum who lives with her in Bombay. “Since my dad passed away, mum is with me here. I must mention that both my parents have been my culinary influences growing up. My mum takes care of home, cooks, when Karan and I are at work and all three of us will get drinks and relax once we’re done for the day.” And then, for her birthday (June), her daughter and son-in-law made plans whisking her away to Budapest for a long-awaited, much-deserved, post-pandemic vacation. Of course, they’ll keep their eyes open for new ingredients and flavours that they can bring home. Just as they do when they travel to Southeast Asia on excursion trips.

Ask Chef Seefah which are her favourite flavours, or ingredients to use, “Fish sauce, soy sauce, chilli, basil, and I love pork,” comes the reply with that pleasing smile intact.