David Thompson really needs no introduction. The lauded chef has long been considered Australia’s guru for all things Thai, a fact only cemented by his launch of the Long Chim restaurants, which now sit in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth.

The trio of restaurants has long been a reliable source of quality Thai fare, the kind of dishes you’d expect to find at street food vendors throughout Bangkok. But not one to rest on his laurels, Thompson has just announced that change is afoot for the Long Chim chain. Don’t panic just yet, the change is limited to a menu relaunch at the restaurant, with a slew of new dishes promised to reinvigorate the current offering.

The restaurant will maintain its penchant for Bangkok street food, introducing five new dishes which will land in the restaurants from April 12. Think moreish boat noodles paired with pork and garlic and deep-fried larb dumplings. There will also be Thai treats galore – joining the beloved banana pancake already on the menu is a pandanus and coconut-layered pudding among others.

“If I were here full time it would change far more frequently,” admits Thompson of his need for regular change. “I’m a genuine dabbler, tinkerer, and nothing ever pleases me. I’m never satisfied with anything less than. I’m always [want] to improve.” The latest dish additions have been plucked from an ample collection of recipes. “There’s probably about 250 recipes in our archives, which means that you see only the tip of the iceberg. And I like the food to be as fast-moving and as rapid as the streets of Bangkok.”

It’s a collaborative process nonetheless, with dishes suggested and inspired by those who work in the Long Chim kitchens. “I think it’s very important to listen to what those cooks have to say. I like to ask the kitchen what they want to see, and what their customers want to see.” Of course, it can’t be too much of an interpretation of Thai cuisine, with Thompson’s dedication to the traditional renowned. “Whilst it’s collaborative it still has to conform to what I think it should be,” he explains. “And while it drives them mad I have a rigorous approach to authenticity and integrity and to make sure that it is as faithful as possible to what I know Thai food to be.”

As for Thompson’s favourite new addition to the menu? “Larb balls, which is a very modern version of larb and it’s deep fried and crunchy. It’s a bit too modern for my liking to be honest – I’m a traditionalist but we thought no the food needs to be current, it needs to have that modernity. Long Chim is not intended to be as rigorously traditionalist as say Nahm is or some of those other restaurants, but it picks up anything as long as it can be eaten on the streets of Bangkok.”