About Us

Jeffrey Lord, Chef/Owner of betenut restaurant has been in the food business for over 35 years. He has traveled, lived and worked throughout the U.S. , Europe and Asia . After humble beginnings at a harborside seafood restaurant on the New England coast, he trained in Swiss & French kitchens learning classical technique. Heavily influenced by his food experiences growing up, as well as from Mediterranean and French cuisines, his style evolved while working in the United States from New York to San Francisco . Jeffrey's most significant inspiration came from the owner of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Ca. Alice Waters, considered by many the founder of “California Cuisine”.

After years in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jeffrey traveled and worked in China and Japan before moving to Thailand . His distinctive style at betelnut has evolved from his exposure to Eastern food cultures, combined with the fundamentals of Californian/American cooking. It exemplifies Fusion cooking, as it is becoming known.

“For me, this style is more of an approach to cooking, a philosophy about food, using the highest quality, freshest ingredients with respect and imagination. I love creating new ways to combine what I can find locally, with products available from around the world.”

betelnut has a staff of 9 friends and family, including Jeffrey's partner Samruay.