Andy Oliver

The Path

A career that moved between food and media left Andy Oliver with a public voice before the kitchen became the main work. The early credits were varied: member at Rip Rig + Panic, co-host at Baadasss TV, broadcaster at BBC Radio London, and participant in BBC coverage at BBC Glastonbury Festival coverage. In 2009, MasterChef UK finalist status at MasterChef UK marked a clear point in the shift toward cooking. From there, the work deepened through chef roles at Nahm in London and Bo.Lan in Bangkok, where Thai cuisine became the core reference point. Today, Andy is co-founder and head chef of Som Saa and co-founder of Kolae, two London restaurants that define his current practice.

The Work Today

At Som Saa, the cooking and the drinks program are built to meet on equal terms. Green papaya salad sits alongside Thai ingredient-led cocktails, and the menu is arranged so the bar and kitchen reinforce each other rather than pull apart. The restaurant’s aim is stated plainly by Oliver: "Fundamentally though, our aim is simple: to run a warm and welcoming restaurant, that serves delicious Thai food with great service and good drinks to match." The same approach carries into Kolae in London, where Andy Oliver is a co-founder. Both restaurants are grounded in Thai cuisine and in the practical work of ingredient, seasoning, and hospitality, with the London room as the setting for that discipline.

Signature

Andy’s signature dishes include green papaya salad, plaa som, and Northern sai oua sausage. Each one points to a different mode of Thai cooking: freshness and sharpness, fermentation and depth, spice and regional character. Taken together, they outline the range of his kitchen.

In Their Words “Fundamentally though, our aim is simple: to run a warm and welcoming restaurant, that serves delicious Thai food with great service and good drinks to match.” “A love of food and eating primarily, and time spent in Southeast Asia – the mysterious and complex nature of Thai food got under my skin early on (and still excites me just as much now).”

Acclaim

The work is defined by the dual role of co-founder and head chef at Som Saa, and co-founder at Kolae, with Thai cuisine as the central grammar. Making key components in-house gives the cooking its structure and texture, with each part serving the whole. That progression runs through Nahm, Bo.Lan, Som Saa and Kolae. Read together, those kitchens show a line from formative experience to a more personal expression, held together by discipline, immersion, and a sustained focus on Southeast Asian food.