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FOOD | 好吃

When we first arrived in Chiang Mai to explore its coffee shops, we nostalgic style reminiscent of the 1980s and 1990s.
found ourselves trying many. Each time we stepped into a café to escape After opening his own cafe, Big frequently interacted with bean
the heat, we ordered a cup of iced coffee and enjoyed the air conditioning suppliers and coffee farmers. His curiosity about coffee evolved from merely
or electric fan, sinking into our chairs to savor the moment. At times, brewing a good cup to exploring its origins. Consequently, he often traveled
it felt as though we were wasting the energy that caffeine offers. If from Bangkok to coffee plantations in northern Thailand to learn more. “I
coffee were simply viewed as a means to wake up, Chiang Mai wouldn’t started from a café, then moved on to exploring roasted beans, green beans,
need so many cafés. Instead, this underscores that drinking coffee here processing methods, coffee trees, and agricultural practices. I wanted to trace
is a genuinely enjoyable experience—a return to a state of original coffee back to its origins, back to the natural ecosystem,” Big said. This
romanticism, free from the fast-paced demands and rapid brand expansions ambition fueled his passion for coffee.
characteristic of metropolitan areas. Six years ago, while studying on a plantation in Chiang Rai, he met his
The first local coffee I had was at a café called Akha Ama. We ordered wife, Jom, a local from Chiang Mai who owns a coffee shop called Simple
a coffee named Meelor, which is the name of the coffee farmer and also Happy, which reflects her life vision. Jom had also worked in Bangkok but
the name of the café owner's mother. To promote the coffee beans from his returned home ten years ago to open her own café. “Starting a café isn’t
hometown, Lee established this coffee brand in 2010 and opened a café particularly difficult; I have learned a lot about coffee and have connections
in Chiang Mai. The first sip of Meelor didn’t seem extraordinary, but I throughout the coffee supply chain. The challenge lies in opening one in
realized by the end of my coffee journey in Chiang Mai that this sentiment Chiang Mai, where there are simply too many cafés,” Jom said.
permeates the coffee here—it’s unassuming and friendly, much like a constant Big and Jom are constantly exploring their own unique models in
companion sharing in the simplicity of everyday life. the competitive café landscape. The mountainous region of Northern
School Café is situated just outside the Old City, adjacent to the railway. Thailand, where Chiang Mai is located, is known for premium coffee
This train station primarily serves freight transport, and the café is nestled bean production. They investigate the origins of coffee and pursue a
in a small courtyard across from it. The owner, who insisted on being called deeper understanding through vertical exploration. This approach offers
Big, is in his 30s. As he prepared a simple hand-brewed coffee, he shared his independent cafés a pathway for sustainable development. They examine
story with us. In his nearly 40 years of life, he has experienced two significant what contributes to better coffee at its source, collaborating directly
adventures: the first was his “escape” into the coffee business, and the second with coffee farmers and even engaging in coffee cultivation themselves.
was his move to Chiang Mai. Transitioning from urban life back to nature, they shift their focus from
Big is from Bangkok and studied in Melbourne, Australia, where he running cafés to farming, moving from fast consumption to the long-term
earned a master’s degree in aircraft design. After graduating, he returned to production of agriculture. By connecting with the mountains, rivers, and
Bangkok and became an aerospace engineer. His life went smoothly from soil, they seek to uncover the potential of local coffee. This commitment
studying to working, and his income was quite considerable. However, after to their roots is also the primary reason for their decision to return from
seven years in his job, he began to feel genuinely lost; work did not provide Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
him with a sense of accomplishment, and he wanted to pursue a different, In recent years, many coffee enthusiasts like Big and Jom, who previously
freer lifestyle. faced challenges making a living in Bangkok, have relocated to Chiang Mai. They
During his studies in Australia, Big developed a deep are in search of a more relaxed lifestyle that allows them to connect with
appreciation for coffee. Upon returning to Thailand, he decided nature and embrace coffee-making as a joyful part of everyday living.
to further his knowledge in the coffee industry and later opened They savor their time, much like the city of Chiang Mai itself. Here,
his own café in a bustling area of Bangkok, naming it “School.” the flavors of coffee go beyond the typical descriptors like nuts,
He chose this name because it reminded him of his happy caramel, or cocoa; instead, they evoke emotions. For instance, a cup
school days, which he considered the best times of his life. He of coffee might embody warmth, ease, and spontaneity, reflecting the
envisioned his café as a place of carefree joy, decorating it to unique rhythm of the local community.
resemble a classroom from his childhood, complete with small (The author is a reporter for Sanlian Life Weekly, and the
tables and chairs, toys, and notebooks—all designed in a article has been abridged.)

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Yunnan has a coffee cultivation history spanning more than 130 years and is are spread across six prefectures (or prefectural cities): Pu’er, Baoshan, Lincang,
the largest coffee-producing province in China, responsible for over 98% of the Dehong, Xishuangbanna, and Nujiang. As of 2023, the total area dedicated to coffee
country’s coffee production. The primary coffee-producing regions in Yunnan plantations in the province has reached 76,400 hectares.