Congratulations to Instructor Suthee Sertsri, a Instructor in Hotel Management Department, School of Humanities and Tourism Management, who showcased his culinary skills with the dish "Stir-Fried Spicy Razor Clams" winning first place in the popular vote for Samut Songkhram Province in the "1 Province 1 Menu: Celebrating Local Cuisine - The Lost Taste 2025" activity organized by the Department of Cultural Promotion, Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with Provincial Cultural Offices in 76 provinces and Bangkok. The dish was certified by provincial selection committees based on criteria such as: important local ingredients, value-added development, nutritionally complete menu composition, and conservation of local flora and fauna biodiversity.
A Menu on the Verge of Disappearing
"This menu is a matter of destiny because when we conducted field research, we discovered that the ingredients for this dish are disappearing due to global warming, which directly affects ingredients like Mae Klong razor clams in Samut Songkhram Province. These are found along mudflats in wetland areas near river mouths. The mudflats form from sediment deposits of clay mixed with sand and serve as habitats for various shellfish, especially razor clams. However, global warming and water conditions have hindered their full growth, and one day these naturally occurring ingredients will gradually vanish."
Local Food, Provincial Ingredients
"This local menu highlights signature ingredients blended with herbs, with the secret to deliciousness being herbs such as fingerroot, kaffir lime leaves, and Bang Chang chilies stir-fried until fragrant, seasoned with fish sauce for a spicy-salty taste, and finally the sweet flavor from the clams stir-fried quickly over high heat to achieve a bouncy, non-chewy texture, finished with the aromatic scent of kaffir lime leaves. This dish takes only 3 minutes to complete and is a renowned delicacy according to the provincial motto: City of Razor Clams."
Award Guaranteed for 2 Consecutive Years
"This is the second consecutive year receiving this award. I'm delighted and proud to showcase the cultural identity of Samut Songkhram Province's local cuisine. This year, award recipients were able to set up booths to sell food for attendees to taste our culinary expertise, selected as delicious enough to represent '1 Province 1 Menu: Celebrating Local Cuisine - The Lost Taste.'"
In addition, this year Lecturer Suthee served as a coach and consultant, sharing ideas for creating signature dishes for another province, Chumphon, with the "Roasted Coconut" menu, processed into a flavorful rice topping powder that was selected as "1 Province 1 Menu: Celebrating Local Cuisine - The Lost Taste." Furthermore, in 2026, a book about Mae Klong Basin local cuisine will be published, documenting all cooking processes, including recipes for selecting ingredients to enhance food flavors, telling stories through text compiled for study and research. It will be distributed free of charge with no cost whatsoever.
