A Tiny Haymarket Thai Restaurant Is Now Starring in One of Netflix’s Biggest Food Shows

Last week, a new season of Somebody Feed Phil dropped on Netflix. Every episode of the show sees host Phil Rosenthal travelling the world, exploring new destinations, meeting locals and eating. Voraciously.

Australian fans of the show have been waiting for their own episode for eight seasons now, and we finally have it. In episode six of the latest series, Rosenthal heads to Sydney and Adelaide.

While he was here, he went to all of the places you’d expect. He visited Taronga Zoo and Bondi Beach, tried some of Firedoor’s defining dishes, had a sandwich at AP Place, got a scoop at Messina and had fish for dinner at Saint Peter with Josh Niland.

But he also went off the Sydney script a little bit by making time for lunch at Porkfat, which Rosenthal calls “one of the best Thai places I’ve ever been to”.

Since Narin “Jack” Kulasai and partner Tanya Boonprakong opened this small 30-seater in 2022, people have loved the Haymarket restaurant’s Thai-style family cooking, which makes liberal use of the eponymous pork fat. But with a Netflix debut on the books and famous fans like Nigella Lawson bringing new audiences in, it really feels like year three is a turning point for Porkfat. And Kulasai says they’re just getting started.

How’s everything been since your Somebody Feed Phil episode dropped?

We’re a really tiny restaurant, so most of our customers are regulars. Now, after Somebody Feed Phil and Nigella coming in again, we’re seeing lots of new faces, which makes us really happy. Some of them even come from other cities, and sometimes from abroad. And some of them don’t know they need to book. We’re in a really limited space and some people can’t get a table, but we try really hard to accommodate as many people as we can.

When did Nigella Lawson start coming in?

Nigella has actually become one of my favourite friends, and she’s good friends with Tanya as well. She first came here in 2023 with Colin Fassnidge, and then came again in 2024, and again this year. She books just like a regular customer – she books online and then she just comes.

What’s her favourite dish at Porkfat?

She really loves our pork larb – it’s her favourite. It’s what she orders every time. I think she comes to Porkfat because of this dish every year. Every year for three years in a row for the pork larb.

And how’s Porkfat been going?

We’re really happy with how it’s running now. The food’s been great since the start. But the idea is one thing. Delivering the idea is another thing. We’ve spent the last three years making mistakes, and improving the restaurant to deliver our family cooking and Thai style of hospitality. It’s not just the food, it’s the memories and the histories of our culture. We want customers to get something that’s different from what they’d find at other Thai restaurants. I want people to say ‘wow’ every time food hits the table.

How did you find out you were going to be on Somebody Feed Phil?

Well I loved his show. I just loved the way he showed the city, the people, the ideas and the food. And he was in Sydney in 2023. One day I scrolled through our bookings and saw his name and I was so excited. Then last year I got an email from Netflix’s production team saying they were coming to Sydney and wanted to film here. And he came back with his whole team to film in our restaurant.

Have you watched the episode?

Yes. Firedoor, Saint Peter – they’re all my idols. I love the genius of Lennox Hastie and Josh Niland and their work, and I can’t believe that I’m on air together with them. I can’t believe that. I still cannot believe that. So it’s just a dream, you know? I’m just a small chef who comes in the morning, does preparation, and then I put my head down, working together with the chefs and I can’t believe that today I’m on a TV show with them.

Did you ever think when you opened Porkfat that it would be on Netflix someday?

Never! I never even dreamed of having my own restaurant. I’m just trying to make the meals that my family and Tanya’s family grew up eating. And I’m doing the best I can offer. I’m really lucky that people are coming to our restaurant and like the taste of our food.

Porkfat is on The Hot List, the definitive guide to Sydney’s most essential food and drink experiences.