This prolific, exacting and articulate Sydney chef is the world’s most acclaimed expert on Thai food. So much so that his Bangkok restaurant, Nahm, was named among the top 50 restaurants in the world for 2012. David Thompson’s research into Thai culinary techniques and ancient recipes has had a huge influence on Thai cooking world-wide, and his definitive books — the hot-pink silk-covered Thai Food and Thai Street Food — are classics. David started cooking in Sydney in 1991 at Darley Street Thai and then Sailors’ Thai. He now runs the Michelin-starred Nahm at London’s Halkin Hotel and a second Nahm in the Metropolitan Hotel, Bangkok.