Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019
Chef Nutcha’s Organic Rice Farm
Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Chef Nutcha’s 15 acre regenerative and organic rice farm is located in Nhong Waeng, northeastern Thailand, known as the Isaan. The rice farm has been in Nutcha’s family for over eighty years. Her grandfather purchased the land and passed it down to her mother who, in turn, gave the farm to her daughter in 2019. To this day, Nutcha’s parents still plant the rice, and harvest and package the rice with the help of relatives and friends in the community. Nutcha’s parents demonstrate their enduring love to their daughter knowing that through their labours they are helping her prepare the finest food for her guests at Baan Lao. With each dish she prepares, Chef Nutcha aspires to pass on to her guests the specialness of the history of her family farm and to transport that sentiment from Thailand to the shores of Steveston. “When people eat our rice, we want them to know that my parents are still farming to help serve our guests. It is so touching and meaningful to us.”

In-season paddy field rice farming in Thailand begins in May until October followed by a harvest period ending in February. This type of farming produces rice only once a year and takes about 120 days to grow. Once the crop is mature, it is harvested; rice before threshing is called “paddy.” Next, the rice is milled involving several steps. Rice is dried to ensure it has no more than 12 – 14 % moisture content in order to prevent molding. Through agitation, the husk and bran are removed. The husks can be used for fuel energy or restoring the soil. The bran is used to make oil or animal feed. The rice is further sorted by colour before packaging.

Chef Nutcha’s Farm is the ideal microcosm of organic farming and sustainable agriculture. Only water buffalo have tilled and naturally fertilized the soil. No mechanization or chemical fertilizers or pesticides have permeated with their negative carbon footprint. The seedlings are planted by hand and once the crop is mature, it is harvested and milled by hand. The rice is not fumigated in preparation for storage or export. The result: fresh, pure rice! Chef Nutcha says that people are as healthy as the food they ingest. Chef Nutcha abides by her principles by using only the rice she knows is the safest and healthiest for her patrons—the rice she knows and grows!

Depending on the dishes Chef Nutcha prepares, she uses different varieties of rice. Hom Mali Jasmine Rice is the world’s best rice, known for its superior flavour, fragrance and fibre content.

Riceberry, deep purple in colour, with an earthy, nutty taste, is plenteous in nutritional benefits. It boasts of high Vitamin E and B1, iron, omega 3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.

Glutinous rice, also known as “sticky rice” is opaque, and very low in amylose starch, high in amylose pectin.

Chef Nutcha frequently proclaims, “If people knew all the steps involved in rice farming and processing of rice to its finished product, no one would waste a single grain of rice.”