The Satay Queen – Som

Som, tell us a little bit more about Satay Street.

“Satay Street first launched as a street food stall in London’s iconic Brick Lane in 2009 (formerly Satay Bangkok) before moving to the hustle and bustle of Petticoat Lane Market Food Court in 2010.

Serving authentic Thai flavours to hungry mouths and rumbling bellies, our street food stalls have built a loyal following. Using recipes passed down from my mother, our curry, tofu, and satay dishes are served up in traditional and unique way. And I have love of eating, so I make sure that I put all the quality ingredients and love into our dishes.

In Bangkok, the way we say ‘bon appétit’ or ‘good eating’ is กินข้าวให้อร่อย (pronounced: kin kao hai aroi). Put simply, what we really mean is, ‘pick up your fork and get your Thai on!'”

What do you enjoy most about working in Petticoat Lane?

“I love the community spirit amongst the traders. We are like neighbours and good friends to each other, everyone helping one another. Petticoat Lane is like my second home.”

Tell us a bit more about yourself.

“I came to the UK as a full-time student in 2002 to study English and Business Studies.

To support myself while studying I worked day and night in the hospitality business. It was then that I realised I had a passion for the industry and have worked in it ever since gaining experience in all areas of hospitality including creating, owning, and running small businesses.

I am now embracing the entrepreneur within me to build my brand and take Satay national while remaining passionate about my love for eating and travelling. Today, I have two market stalls. The original stall sells our signature chicken and tofu Satay, and our new stall sells Pad Thai noodle.”

Do you have a favourite memory of working on Petticoat Lane?

“Driving my little red second-hand post-office van to the market and setting up for our first day of business. We made £80 that day and it was the happiest day of our lives!”

What do you recommend customers order when they visit your market stall?

“Our signature chicken satay of course! But make sure to try our new Pad Thai noodles, too. We’ve been perfecting our recipes since we started out on Brick Lane in 2009, so that’s nearly 15 years of perfecting our dishes!”