Born Kasma Loha-unchit, she grew up helping her mother and grandmother cook for her and her three brothers and sister. She began offering cooking classes to earn extra income, drawing on what she had learned from her mother and grandmother.
In 1968, she moved to the United States to attend college. After completing undergraduate and master"s degrees, she worked in the corporate world for several years. Eventually she shifted to teaching full-time, wrote two books on Thai cuisine, and started offering "food tours" to different regions of Thailand.
Professionally, she has kept the name Loha-unchit, as is shown clearly in the cited biography.
In April 2015 she indicated that she will be retiring from teaching and tour-leading within the next several years. Loha-unchit teaches hands on cooking classes in a private kitchen.
She offers classes at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels, both evening and full-time week-long intensives. Earlier classes have more demonstration and explanation, with students taking on more of the cooking duties later.
Completing earlier series is a strict prerequisite for enrolling in more advanced classes.
Each fall and winter, Loha-unchit offers guided tours to Thailand exploring Northern, Central, and Southern Thailand "off the beaten track". The small groups travel by van and frequently stop at small roadside stands and modest restaurants which offer the best versions of local dishes. Oakland Magazine San Francisco Chronicle Haas Business School Temple of Thai.
