Chef Noah Sandoval is one of Chicago’s brightest stars, earning a Michelin star at Senza with a gluten-free menu and two more at his West Loop tasting restaurant, Oriole. This year, the chef added another accolade to his repertoire: earning Best Chef: Great Lakes from the James Beard Foundation. Fresh off his win, chef Sandoval is heading to NYC this month to cook with a line-up of NYC all-stars. The reason for gathering? To celebrate the beauty and versatility of Thai rice.
The Thai Trade Center presents the one-night-only event, Collab Dinner: Thai Rice - A Journey Beyond Borders, held at Platform by the James Beard Foundation. The evening brings together chef Sandoval alongside Max Wittawat of Bangkok Supper Club and Nate Limwong of Chalong. Together, the three will tour Thailand's humble grain, from kernels of jasmine rice to glutinous sticky rice, and transform it to their culinary liking.
The night begins with passed appetizers, including green curry-infused crispy brown rice bites, or nam khao bites, and goi, a Thai beef tartare served on rice crackers. Dinner follows with three courses, including riceberry khao yum (riceberry with colossal crab meat, mung bean sprouts, chili, makrut lime and Thai herbs), sablefish with Thai brown rice amaze and garlic jasmine rice with two types of pork: pork cracklings and crispy pork jowl. What's on for dessert? Rice, of course, is the meal's main dish, followed by a black sticky rice cake with sweet potato ice cream.
Bangkok Supper Club's head bartender and New York's 2024 Exceptional Cocktails Award Winner from the Michelin Guide, Suwincha "Cha-Cha" Singsuwan will be shaking cocktail pairings for each course, including tipplers shaken with pandan, coconut cream and fish sauce.
Tickets at the external chef's counter start at $195, the internal chef's counter at $290 and $250 for the dining tables. Tickets are running low, so reserve yours here.