Chef Wedchayan “Deau” Arpapornnopparat of Holy Basil in Los Angeles hails from Bangkok, bringing a rich heritage from his Thai-Chinese family. Motivated by a craving for authentic Thai street food, Deau and his partner, Tongkamal “Joy” Yuon, decided to focus on recreating the favorite dishes they missed, while leveraging the exceptional produce from local farmers markets and high-quality meat and fish purveyors.

Holy Basil, which specializes in Bangkok and Central Thai street food, has received critical acclaim from outlets like the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Eater, and Infatuation. Recognized as one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 2024, Deau is celebrated for blending expertly rendered classics with genre-bending dishes that signal the future of Thai cuisine. He now focuses on expanding Holy Basil and exploring new projects ahead.