The people, passion + fresh flavors behind Sawasdee Thai Cuisine!
From learning to cook alongside her grandmother in Thailand to building a beloved restaurant in West Chester, Lek Thitirungrojkul has spent a lifetime turning her passion for food into something meant to be shared. At Sawasdee Thai Cuisine & Sushi in West Chester, family traditions, fresh ingredients, and a little creativity come together in every dish... including the ingredients grown right outside the restaurant.
Made From the Heart
For Lek Thitirungrojkul, cooking has been a lifelong passion; one shaped by family, tradition, and plenty of time spent in the kitchen. Her love of cooking began in Thailand when she was just 9 years old. Lek started helping her grandmother in the kitchen, learning family recipes and Thai cooking traditions that would become her lifelong passion.
Years later, she would turn that passion into a business, but the heart of her cooking has remained rooted in those early lessons. In 2008, Lek began sharing her food with the community by selling homemade egg rolls at the West Chester Farmers Market. Her food quickly developed a following, and loyal customers encouraged her to open a restaurant of her own.
In 2010, she opened Sawasdee Thai Cuisine & Sushi in Fairfield. More than a decade later, Lek and her husband, Mike Roaden, brought the restaurant back to West Chester, where her journey first began.
Today, Sawasdee is known for fresh, homemade Thai cuisine and sushi, with everything prepared from scratch, including the restaurant's sauces and rubs. Popular favorites include Pad Thai and mango sticky rice, but it's the care and creativity behind every dish that truly sets the restaurant apart.
A Garden With a Purpose
One of the most unique parts of Lek's cooking happens just outside the restaurant. Lek tends to her garden every day, growing Thai chili peppers, basil, fresh herbs and other specialty plants that can be notoriously difficult to grow.
The garden is an extension of her kitchen, and Lek uses the ingredients daily in her cooking, bringing fresh-picked flavors into the dishes served at Sawasdee.
For Lek, cooking is an opportunity to be creative. She enjoys creating dishes based on how she is feeling that day, adding new ingredients and putting her own touch on recipes. "She really is the key to this place," Mike says.
A Taste of Sawasdee
Lek's homemade sauces and rubs have also made their way beyond the Sawasdee kitchen. They're available at Jungle Jim's International Market in Fairfield, where Lek also participates in the annual Weekend of Fire Festival. It's another way for Lek to share the flavors and traditions that have shaped her cooking with the Butler County community.
From a childhood kitchen in Thailand to a farmers market booth and now a restaurant in West Chester, Lek's story is one of dedication, creativity, and passion.
Visit Sawasdee Thai Cuisine & Sushi
6064 West Chester Road | West Chester, Ohio
Open Monday through Friday, 11am - 2:30pm, reopens 5pm - 9pm | Saturday, 12pm - 9pm
