Thai food in the Highlands: Discover the secrets of the Croft Inn chef’s mouthwatering cooking
Everyone wants to know how they make their five-star food at this foodie favourite – and now you can see behind the scenes in Nat’s kitchen!
Since Chris Gordon Brown and his partner Pariwat Praiudtane took over the Croft Inn four years ago, the pub has become a must-dine spot for locals and visitors alike.
It’s all thanks to Pariwat, known as Nat’s, passion for top-quality ingredients – he’s even turned the grounds into a kitchen garden and happily shows diners round after they’ve eaten.
And now he’s given The Scotsman a sneak peek at his secret recipes. But if you want to try the real thing, you’ll have to book a table to find out for yourself!
Recipe for success
Chris and Nat swapped their busy city lives for a rural idyll on the Glenlivet Estate in Speyside four years ago.
When they bought the pub in 2021 Nat, who has worked in Carey Manor and Chewton Glen Hotel in Hampshire, was delighted to have the chance to run his own kitchen and bring everything he had learned in a decade-long cooking career to Scottish diners.
These days Chris, who used to work as a London Underground tube driver, is front of house while Nat creates the kind of delicious Thai fine dining that has earned them nothing but five-star reviews on TripAdvisor.
Using the produce from his own garden, in a move inspired by popular The Pig hotel group on the other side of the border, he has taken many traditional Thai dishes and given them a mouthwatering Scottish twist.
“The Croft Inn looks like a cosy country pub, but inside you’ll find one of the best Thai meals of your life” - read Rosalind Erskine’s review of The Croft from November 2025.
Nat has paid tribute to his dad, also a chef, who died shortly before Christmas. Sharing how he inspired him, he fondly recalls how his dad would go to the market at 2am then carry the ingredients he needed on the bus for hours. Each night Nat, his mum and sister would prepare dishes for his father to enjoy after work, and he says this ‘learning by doing’ has helped him create his unique dishes.
Want to know how he does it? Read on and let us whet your appetite…
A surprising salad you have to try
If you have tried som tum papaya salad then you know how addictive it can be: it’s the epitome of sweet-sour-salty-spicy flavours that Thai cooking excels in.
But Nat has brought that home to the Highlands by swapping the hard-to-find green papayas for neeps.
“I just shred them and mix them with carrots, tomatoes, and fine beans... crunchy, fresh, and perfect!" he explains, talking us through his cooking process. "And my little secret: grapes, white and red ones. They give a juicy pop in your mouth. No need for much sugar, just nature’s candy!
“I’m taking this Scottish neep and making it dance with my Thai Isan soul. I add my laab powder, where I've roasted all the herbs myself, with some lime, fish sauce, and of course chilli. If it’s not spicy, it’s not Natty!
“Now, the magic touch. I use my hands and give it a little squeeze to get the juice out from the tomatoes and grapes. Top it with cashews for the crunch. It’s fresh, it’s spicy, and it’s yummy.”
A secret blend of spices
Despite the traditional appearance of the Croft, inside the kitchen Nat is doing unique and innovative things to share the flavours of his homeland. For his laab powder, which also flavours his juicy pork fritters, “it’s all about the hidden layers of aroma”.
Unlike traditional recipes where herbs are chopped and added fresh - sacrificing some of the flavour as they cook - Nat roasts lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves with sticky rice overnight until bone-dry, then grinds them into a fine, fragrant powder.
“I also use my homemade mint oil and substitute pork skin with glass noodles for the fritters to ensure a perfect, crispy texture that doesn’t burst in the fryer. It’s a modern twist on my Khon Kaen roots.”
Green curry... made with kale
A good green curry is hard to beat – but Nat's twist takes it to the next level, using kale and pheasant for something uniquely Highland Thailand.
And he says customers love the fact that the curly kale comes from his own garden just outside the pub. "I love gardening and we have got a lot of space here, so I wanted to do something that was 'garden to table' with everything organic.
“The vibrant green in my curry comes from organic kale harvested right here; combining this with Scottish pheasant brings a rich, wild game flavour that elevates the traditional Thai green curry into something truly special and locally grounded.”
For those with a sweet tooth
His green-and-gold mango compote is always a show-stopper – Nat adds his signature pandan custard in place of the traditional coconut syrup. The custard adds a smooth, creamy texture and a unique floral aroma that perfectly complements the sweetness of the mango.
Even the edible flowers that decorate his impeccable desserts are proudly grown by Nat, who’s looking forward to starting to sow this summer’s seeds shortly.
But he admits it isn't easy sourcing tropical fruits in Scotland and producing the same results, especially for their returning customers keen to try their favourites again and again.
“Consistency is my religion,” laughs Nat who has developed a technique to control every single bowl's flavour. “I use high-quality mangoes and ripen them for two weeks to get the perfect texture. Then I slow-cook them in a concentrated mango reduction to bring out that authentic, deep aroma. To lock in the freshness, I use a rapid-cooling process and vacuum-sealing technology.”
Book your table today
If all that takes your fancy, it’s time to book a table and try Nat’s incredible cooking for yourself.
Visit the Croft Inn website to secure a place. They are open Thursday to Saturday 4pm to 9pm, and on Sundays from 3pm to 8pm.