Chef Chuck’s Kuay Teaw Lui Suan, or Thai Garden Noodle Wrap, is the Thai version of the Vietnamese Spring roll.
Thaithentic Recipes is an ongoing series of delicious Thai dishes created in real kitchens using fresh ingredients.
Chef Chuck warms our hearts and our bellies with a delicious Thai Beet Soup, where the main ingredient is love.
Thaithentic Recipes is an ongoing series of delicious Thai dishes created in real kitchens using fresh ingredients.
Right in time for Super Bowl Sunday, Chef Chuck makes a delicious vegetarian eggplant dip easy enough for you to try at home.
Thaithentic Recipes is an ongoing series of delicious Thai dishes created in real kitchens using fresh ingredients.
Tuna fish doesn’t have to be plain or boring. Watch Chef Chuck turn tuna fish into a healthy and delightful treat, Yum Tuna Salad!
Thaithentic Recipes is an ongoing series of delicious Thai dishes created in real kitchens using fresh ingredients.
Chef Chuck shows us how simple Larb is as he prepares Chicken Larb on Grilled Avocado topped with Quail Egg.
Thaithentic Recipes is an ongoing series of delicious Thai dishes created in real kitchens using fresh ingredients.
Chef Chuck takes us through his Tom Yum Quinoa recipe.
Thaithentic Recipes is an ongoing series of delicious Thai dishes created in real kitchens using fresh ingredients.
I am excited to introduce you to “The Thai-In,” a web series focused on travel, food, people, and how Thai food and culture tie-in to all of it. We will be exploring local foods and customs across the globe, while focusing on local eats and customs.
As a NYC born and raised Thai-American, the food and cultures of the world have always been in my back yard. Having a chef for a father provided me with the perfect guide to learning about people and the joys of gastronomy. We had sit down dinners for most of my life and it was at those dinners where I learned that the true essence of food and dining is about people and sharing wonderful experiences with them. It became an addiction. All I wanted to do was travel, meet people, and eat. If there is one thing I have learned from all my travels, it is not to follow food and trends. Follow people, for they will lead you to great food. You will never go wrong following people as they are the greatest sources for new experiences. This is the very essence of the The Thai-In. I want to share my great experiences with all of you as I travel and eat my way through city by city, continent by continent, bite by bite, one meal and one conversation at a time.
Our first adventure takes us to Philly. Along with Chef Chuck Valla, Thaithentic chef and master of Northern Thai cuisine, we explore just a little bit of what this very American city has to offer. Philadelphia has always held a special place in my heart as fellow sports rival town, but never would I have imagined what kind of bustling food scene existed here. The food talent in this town rivals that of NYC, without much of the trendy tax factored into your food. It’s impossible to find the best of anything as Philly is city of neighborhoods. Each neighborhood usually being the favorite spot of those living there. When we tried to explore different neighborhoods, we found something startling. Not only was the food delicious in every neighborhood, they could be as different and varied as two different cities. Here are a few of the places that we covered in this episode:
Federal Donuts
www.federaldonuts.com
Philip’s Steaks
2234 W Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19145
Taproom on 19th
www.taproomon19th.com
Nick’s Old Original Roast Beef Restaurant
www.nicksroastbeef.com
American Sardine Bar | Philadelphia Bar & Restaurant …
www.americansardinebar.com
John’s Roast Pork
www.johnsroastpork.com
The Dandelion
thedandelionpub.com
Village Whiskey
philadelphia.villagewhiskey.com
Little Pete’s
219 S 17th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House 美味兰州手拉面 …
nanzhounoodlehouse.com
Reading Terminal Market
www.readingterminalmarket.org
You really can’t really talk about food in Philly without mentioning Philly cheesesteaks as Philly is a very sandwich centric town. However, we found something even more local and has it roots right in Pennsylvania Dutch country. We’re talking about scrapple. Scrapple is made from the unused leftovers of pork grinded into gelatinous form, then breaded and fried. Scrapple was created with the idea that the entire animal should be used in butchery so that no food would be wasted. This way of thinking is very much in line with much of Thai culinary thinking so Chef Chuck concocted a unique creation. Behold, Thai Scrapple! Using only pork meat, pork liver, garlic, rice, and roasted rice power, Chef Chuck creates a uniquely Thai version of the Pennsylvania classic.
The adventure continues each month and we hope you will enjoy these videos as much as we love making them. Let us know where you’d like us to go next on The Thai-In!
Sawadeekrup!
In the summer of 2015, Manhattan was once again gifted with “The Khon” at Carnegie Hall. Presented by the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations, The Khon is a Thai classical masked drama based on the narrative of the Ramakien, the Thai national epic derived from the Hindu epic Ramayana.
The Khon is performed by The Royal Dance Troupe from the Ministry of Culture of Thailand’s Fine Arts Department. Traditionally, Khon would be performed primarily in the royal court. Modern Khon notably includes female performers for female characters once traditional performed by men.
The Khon consists of four characters types. These include men, women, monkeys, and demons. Each has their own unique dancing style, and each character type has a distinct personality which comes alive in the eternal struggle between good and evil. It takes three hours for the performer playing Thotsakan, the Demon King, to put his costume on. The costume design is truly a work of splendor and a visual masterpiece.
The dance performers of The Khon mime the action while the music and singing is performed by the chorus and orchestra. The orchestra consists of traditional Thai instruments like the ranat ek, a percussion instrument that is shaped like a Thai boat.
Many members of the Thai community were in attendance including the Royal Thai Consul General, Pornpong Kannittanon, as well as His Excellency Mr. Virachai Plasai, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United Nations. After speaking with many of the younger Thais in attendance, we found that this was the first time seeing a khon for many of them. The Khon is a national treasure of Thailand, and quite a gift and an exceptional treat for the United States.
(Photo credits: Justine Chen, Worarat Piriyanasorn, and Jinglebel Shaiyakich)
June marked the world premiere of WATERFALL, a new musical based on Behind the Painting, a beloved Thai short-story written by Thai novelist Siburapha. Waterfall premiered at the Pasadena Playhouse in LA and has been met with much praise and positive reviews from the theater community as well as the local Thai community.
Representatives from Chang presenting flowers to Bie Sukrit and Tak Viravan (photo credit: Chang Beer)
Set during the late 1930’s, a time when nations struggled to define themselves, WATERFALL takes us on an powerful journey of love. Amidst a tug of war of societal and cultural norms, the many themes and conflicts we are introduced to prove their timelessness as we are faced with such similar struggles today. WATERFALL certainly has the makings of an epic musical.
As WATERFALL is a collaboration between Asian and American theatrical professionals, this collaboration is rich in every aspect of the show. From the performances to the set design to the costumes and the music, WATERFALL oozes with cultural authenticity and speaks of the attention to detail this show is being given. I never felt the Thai aspects of the show were dialed in nor did I feel that Asia was used simply as a setting, but rather another character on stage with it’s own fears and desires. Although the story is set in Japan and Thailand, the show speaks with American audiences in mind.
Part of the WATERFALL cast with Director, Tak Viravan (photo credit: Chang Beer)
With a predominantly Asian-American cast, WATERFALL does a great job of transcending the traditional archetypes of Asian roles in theater by tackling themes that elevate our vision of the world. Bie Sukrit, Thai pop superstar, makes his American debut as the leading man, and guides you through the entire journey as your hero and narrator.
Cast and Creative team of WATERFALL (photo credit: Chang Beer)
WATERFALL brought pride and joy into my heart as the show spoke to my identity as an American as well as a Thai person. At the end of the day though, Producer Jack M. Dalgleish says, “The show is about love.”
WATERFALL ends it’s premiere run at The Pasadena Playhouse on June 28 and heads to Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater in October. We have high hope for this show and are excited to see the production head to Broadway in 2016.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Chef Bao of Baoburg in Williamsburg, NY. She is the executive chef and co-owner of Baoburg and is an upcoming Thaithentic Chef. As fate would have it, she was also doing a simultaneous interview with Thai DNA, a television show in Thailand showcasing Thai success stories across the globe. Eventually our interviews would merge and the interviewer would become the interviewee as I became part of Chef Bao’s story for Thai DNA. It was a fun and enriching experience for me as it serves as proof that topics like food and culture are always inevitably meant to become shared experiences. Check out the episode and see for yourself. Although my interview was in English, most of the show is in Thai. If there are parts you’d like to understand, don’t be afraid to ask us!
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