When a dollop of creamy coconut butternut squash soup disappeared unexpectedly as cooking class student Gaylord Morales went in for a sip, he searched his shirt and then the floor, as most people would. Smiles in our hungry gathering lit up the room as everyone discovered, in unison, that the runaway soup was on our new friend’s chin. Shaking his head and dashing to the kitchen sink, Morales muttered, ‘I look like…’ Perfectly timed, a female student finished his sentence ‘… Ninjalicious!’
Laughter erupted in the kitchen. Chef Kris Phaivane’s inaugural Thai 101 Cooking Class was hitting full stride.
Chef Phaivane launched the business of Ninjalicious, an Asian cooking club, on March 6. In his introductory email, he signed off with, ‘I look forward to sharing my Laos heritage and love of food with you, so that, in turn, you may make many people happy. Sawadee, Kris.’ I think, early on, we were already getting the gist.
The first class, held at his home last month, made colorful use of organic ingredients sourced from nearby locations, if possible. Phaivane began his instruction by asking us to taste the fresh-cut raw ingredients common to Thai cooking: garlic (much smaller and less pungent than most garlic available in the West), kaffir, Thai basil (purple stemmed and sweeter than the basil that most of us are familiar with), holy basil, lemon basil, ginger, wild ginger (sometimes known as lesser galangal or Chinese keys), lemongrass, galangal, chilies, and fish sauce. We noted flavor distinctions not only among the different basils and gingers, but also between the fibrous, leafy greens of lemongrass and the root. The leaves at the top are grassier in flavor and can be used to make delicious teas. The yellow-white root tastes sweeter and lemony, and is often used in curries and soups.
The cooking commenced. Sweet and savory aromas enveloped the classroom. Phaivane diced, combined, stirred, and asked us to taste every step of the way, to recognize each layer of flavor as it was added to the mixture. With rapt attention, we awaited the completion of Thai sweet and sour sauce and almond coconut sauce. Then, we gathered around a table of fresh, organic vegetables that Phaivane had prepared ahead of time. Family style, each of us ‘melted’ a rice paper sheet in a bowl of warm water, filling each one with our own proportion of lettuces, carrots, sprouts, tofu, and bell peppers, and then rolled them with the specified ‘eagle claw’ fingers method. As we tasted our individual spring rolls with the two dipping sauces, our eyes rolled back in our heads, collectively, in joy and appreciation for such deliciousness.
With his classroom rendered speechless, Phaivane captured the silence, ‘When a chef puts his heart and soul into a meal, using fresh, local, organic ingredients, you can feel and taste it.’ Indeed, you can.
Like the layers of flavor in his house-made sweet chili sauce, only when you know the layers of Phaivane’s childhood and experiences around food can you fully appreciate the beauty of what this talented Laotian chef brings to Truckee.
At the inquisitive age of 6 years old, Phaivane, son of a well-known Laos military general, found himself on a months-long journey through the jungle to escape the opposing communists who were hunting for his father. The fleeing clan, his family, and some friends reached a refugee camp on the border between Laos and Thailand, where they would remain for three years.
It was in this border town that Phaivane’s innate curiosity turned to food and the Thai culture that now embraced him. Each night, after his family fell asleep on the floor, Phaivane would tiptoe out into the darkness and find his way to the vibrant Thai markets where he was consumed by the exploding colors, sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the many food vendors.
Between his Thai market excursions and helping his mother cook meals filled with love and never from a recipe, Phaivane was self-enrolled in his own cooking education. ‘For all humanity,’ waxes Phaivane, ‘that’s where you start to build your soul,’ referring to food, kitchen, and his mother’s cooking.
After three years in the refugee camp, Phaivane immigrated to the United States, to Minnesota, where he worked in his family’s restaurants every day after school. Wanderlust led him to Aspen, Colo., and Phaivane helped open the renowned restaurant Phat Thai with founding chef Mark Fisher. Later, Phaivane trained rigorously under Master Sushi Chef Kiyomi Sano (now at Kenichi in Aspen) in the art of making world-class sushi. In February 2009, on his way to balmier temperatures in Hawaii, Phaivane made a pit stop in the Sierra.
The pit stop turned out to be permanent, and Chef Phaivane has already begun to generously ladle his rich Laos heritage and love of Asian food into Truckee’s soul. Ninjalicious will be offering a host of services to Truckee locals and visitors this spring and summer. The Asian cooking club will offer basic and advanced classes, farm-to-table dinners, and harvesting opportunities for students. Phaivane is also available for catering and private chef services.
~ Kim McElhinney, founder of local clothing brand Dude Girl, frequently forages for exceptional food and wine and compensates by running trail, cycling, and practicing yoga. Comment on this story below
