Su-Mei Yu opened one of San Diego’s first authentic Thai restaurants, Saffron Thai Grilled Chicken, on India Street in Mission Hills over 25 years ago. She later added Saffron Noodles & Sate. Located next to each other, both restaurants became San Diego favorites featuring traditional Thai dishes made from recipes Su-Mei learned as a child in Thailand, prepared with her philosophy of “food for the mind, body and soul.” Su-Mei Yu is an accomplished chef and cooking instructor and has authored several Thai cookbooks, including Asian Grilling, Cracking the Coconut and The Elements of Life: A Contemporary Guide to Thai Recipes and Traditions for Healthier Living. She has been featured on numerous television programs including Martha Stewart, Good Morning America and The Today Show as well as in notable publications such as Food & Wine Magazine, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and The New York Times.

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