APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBER JANANI RAMACHANDRAN
ADOPT A RESOLUTION HONORING CHEF KASEM SAENGSAWANG
FOR CULINARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO OAKLAND AND AS THE
NEWEST CULINARY CHAMPION ON “CHOPPED” TV SERIES
WHEREAS, Chef Kasem Saengsawang is an award-winning, internationally-renowned chef and owner of Farmhouse Kitchen and Daughter Thai in Oakland who competed on the Food Network channel’s Chopped cooking competition this year and was awarded the Chopped Thai Takedown Champion; and
WHEREAS, District 4 Councilmember Janani Ramachandran is thrilled to honor Chef Saengsawang for his incredible culinary talent and for his commitment to lifting up Thai culture through some of the most renowned restaurants in our beloved Oakland and Bay Area; and
WHEREAS, Chef Saengsawang’s restaurants in Oakland, including Farmhouse Thai and Noka Ramen in Jack London Square and Daughter Thai in Montclair, are widely known as some of the best modern Asian restaurants in the East Bay, and his original restaurant Farmhouse Kitchen was voted Best Thai Restaurant in San Francisco by Michelin guide from 2016 to 2019; and
WHEREAS, Kasem started out working as a manager at a Thai restaurant in San Francisco and later ran Kitchen Story, which features California cuisine with an Asian influence. He then opened Farmhouse Kitchen in 2015 as his first restaurant, featuring contemporary Th ai comfort food inspired by the Northern Thai region. Now Farmhouse Kitchen has expanded to over seven locations across the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon; and
WHEREAS, Kasem believes that spice extends life and is committed to provide the freshest pure ingredients in his culinary creation s, and his dishes are accentuated by spices handpicked from Chiang Mai in Thailand; and
WHEREAS, Kasem is an expert at creating a unique, authentic dining experience to complement the incredibly delicious food at his restaurants. All of Chef Kasem’s restaurants feature chic and carefully curated spaces with Thai-inspired décor – the bright, light-filled rooms filled with floral arrangements evoke the Thai values of hospitality and kindness; and
2 WHEREAS, we recognize Kasem’s vision to give back to the community and connect people through emphasizing both vibrant culture and flavorful dishes - and his restaurants certainly deliver; Now, therefore be it
RESOLVED: That the City Council hereby recognizes Kasem Saengsawang and his incredible contributions to the diverse food scene in Oakland and the broader Bay Area.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - BROWN, FIFE, HOUSTON, KAPLAN, RAMACHANDRAN, UNGER, AND
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE GALLO
NOES –
ABSENT – COUNCIL PRESIDENT JENKINS (serving as Mayor pursuant to Charter Section 303)
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California
2646873v9 / Attorney Initials - updated 1/9/2022
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