LUKE FARRELL
Thailand has been my second home for nearly 20 years. As a chef it’s always been my dream to recreate the delicious food I fell in love with in Thailand for my family and friends back in the UK. In 2022 we opened Plaza Khao Gaeng on Tottenham Court Road, followed by Speedboat Bar in Chinatown a few months later. At Chaiyo, we build restaurants that carry the food and spirit I lived with for so long. Each one adds a clear piece of Thai life to the city. They give me a place that feels like home, and they do the same for many others.
RYEWATER nurserY
ไร่วอเตอร์เนอร์เซอรี่
All of our menus serve true Thai cuisine, bursting with the bounty from my Ryewater Nursery in Dorset. Here, I’ve been lucky enough to curate an ever growing number of tropical greenhouses with the vibratingly fresh herbs essential to Thai cuisine – it makes all the difference, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to have supplied several Thai restaurants in London.
Team ทีม
The Chaiyo team is defined by a unique spirit: a voracious passion, energy, and appetite for a challenge. A kaleidoscope of characters and skills, we’re proud to have built a team grounded in a shared vision, celebrating the joys and nuance of Thai culture and cuisine. This comes with a certain obsessiveness, a commitment to delivering the best, an infectious desire to learn, and to share. Above all, it’s an extension of true Thai hospitality, a generosity, warmth, and ingenuity that inspires us daily.
Find out more about our team below.
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Her journey beginning at JKS over a decade ago as Operations Manager, Joanne was instrumental in the growth of the business, and now leads Chaiyo’s in turn. Beyond her operational prowess, her people-first approach shapes the core of what we do at Chaiyo, and an unwavering eye ensures every detail is up to scratch.
HEAD OF PEOPLE
Chris has been with the wider business since 2018, joining as Head of Recruitment working across the entirety of JKS. Now Head of People, he oversees all things talent, training, and team welfare. Chris and his team look after our most important asset – our people!
HEAD OF OPERATIONS
Joining as Senior General Manager for the opening of Speedboat Bar in 2022, Gabriella is the epitome of the Chaiyo spirit, and a people person through and through. Completely new to Thai cuisine when she joined, the last three years have seen her rise to her current position, where she is pivotal in bringing our teams and restaurants together.
HEAD OF MARKETING
Arriving at Chaiyo in April 2024 as Senior Brand Manager, Eloise’s time at Chaiyo has spanned a period of rapid growth, a perfect storm of opportunity and challenge from a brand perspective, and one that shows no sign of slowing down. Her love of storytelling is rivalled only by a love of spice, both of which we have in spades.
GM, PLAZA BOROUGH
Mary joined as Assistant General Manager in 2022 for the opening of Speedboat Bar, before taking the helm at Plaza Khao Gaeng Tottenham Court Road as General Manager. Leading the team from strength to strength over the following two years, she’s now headed south of the river to open Plaza Borough Yards. You’ll spot her on the floor decked out in all manner of dazzling colours, much like our restaurants.
BEVERAGE OPERATIONS MANAGER
In a similar role at JKS from 2024, when an opportunity with Chaiyo became available in June 2025 Elliot jumped to apply. Here he leads our bar teams to deliver the best drinks and service in London’s Thai restaurants, with his sights set to take Chaiyo’s beverage programme far beyond.
GROUP HEAD CHEF
Endlessly positive and physically impossible to be in a bad mood around, Krismas joined Chaiyo as Head Chef for the opening of Speedboat Bar back in 2022. Hailing from the Phayao province of Northern Thailand, his love for sharing Thai cuisine and culture radiates through everything he does.
HEAD CHEF, SPEEDBOAT SOHO
With the Speedboat Bar team since launch, Michele first joined as Sous Chef before becoming Head Chef just 18 months later. From cooking with Speedboat Bar in Hong Kong, to travelling through Bangkok and the Southern provinces with Luke and the team, Michele’s humble and considered approach ensure that he and the team continue to learn and evolve.
HEAD CHEF, PLAZA TCR
Originally from the Philippines, Marvin grew up around Thai culture, leading him to work in a Thai restaurant for 12 years and even learning to speak Thai. He joined the Plaza Khao Gaeng team as Junior Sous in 2024, quickly moving through the ranks to lead the team at Tottenham Court Road, always with a smile on his face.
GM, SPEEDBOAT SOHO
Kajsa, now the captain of what she affectionately calls ‘the boat’, joined as AGM just shy of opening. She’s since taken Speedboat Bar to new heights, whilst fostering a warm environment for team and guests alike. Already a champion of all things Thailand, Kajsa’s first visit was back in 2013, sparking a passion for Thai cuisine and culture that she’s pursued personally and professionally ever since.
CHEF DIRECTOR
Now the proud owner of a ‘ridiculously high tolerance for spice’, Davide’s Scoville training sessions began back in 2023 when he joined Chaiyo as Group Executive Chef. He’s responsible for everything from guiding the team’s culinary development to sourcing the finest curry pastes direct from Thailand, and his favourite job – running quality control on our crispy pork.
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
No stranger to Thailand, Albie joined Chaiyo in 2023 as Head of Operations after two years living in Bangkok, and nearly a decade of experience across internationally renowned hospitality concepts in Southeast Asia. With a strong commercial and strategic focus, Albie leads Chaiyo’s operational team across existing venues and new projects.
