Sovereign Thai Cuisine
San Diego's Premier Destination for Amazing Food
Welcome to our celebration of high-quality dining, where the unique flavors of northeastern Thailand come alive. Led by the brother-sister duo Uthan Dejcomrunkul and Jumi Pitiwartarlai, we bring authentic Isaan tastes.
JuMi Pitiwartarlai and Uthan Dejcomrunkul were both born in Thailand and raised in a large Chinese-Thai family. Their grandparents immigrated from China during World War II, carrying with them a deep respect for family, culture, and the meaning of shared meals.
Their grandmother, Pakong Dejcomrunkul, was a gifted cook who once had the honor of preparing food at the Royal Palace in Bangkok. After marrying, she devoted her skills to her family. Every morning at 5 a.m., she visited the local market for the freshest produce, seafood, and herbs. On weekends, she brought her grandchildren along, teaching them how to choose ingredients and encouraging them to trust their senses - lessons she said would “ensure you’ll never go hungry.”
Inspired by her grandmother, JuMi developed a love for cooking and the joy of feeding others. While in high school in Singapore, she studied Southeast Asian cuisine for two years before moving to the United States to attend college in San Diego. She worked her way through the restaurant industry - from host to management - and spent more than 20 years helping lead some of San Diego’s most beloved Thai restaurants. Sovereign Modern Thai is the realization of her dream: a place where her heritage, family recipes, and modern influences come together.
Uthan graduated from Bangkok University with a degree in Business and lived with his grandparents during that time. His mother opened a restaurant in Bangkok, where he often helped both her and his grandmother with cooking and shopping. Later, he moved to San Diego to pursue a master’s degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management. Since then, he has become a key figure in San Diego’s Thai dining scene, contributing his expertise to notable restaurants such as Seb E Lee and Thai Papaya, known for its Isaan cuisine.
Together, JuMi and Uthan carry forward their family’s culinary legacy - blending traditional Thai flavors, Chinese influences, and modern techniques to create a dining experience that honors their roots and their journey.
