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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn a cross-country video conference with a 13-hour time difference, we had the opportunity to chat with Chef Andy Ricker<\/a><\/strong>, founder of Portland, Oregon<\/strong>, eatery Pok Pok<\/a><\/strong>, which eventually branched out to include locations in New York<\/strong> and L.A. <\/strong>The restaurants garnered accolades and a rabid following until he closed them down during the pandemic. Burned out, Ricker finally made a permanent move to Chiang Mai, Thailand<\/strong>, in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although there is no set formula for creating an award-winning, Michelin star-studded restaurateur, Andy found his secret sauce\u2014fish sauce and oyster sauce\u2014while backpacking in Thailand in the 1980s. His obsession with the flavors of Thailand became a passion, and then a career, which led him to create a culinary revolution that encourages Americans to rethink Thai food. Not content with run-of-the-mill Pad Thai or rainbow curries, Ricker painstakingly crafts foods with the obsessive attention of a Jedi master.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From our first hello, Andy\u2019s humbleness and experience were immediately evident as he explained his reasons for coming to Oxford, Mississippi<\/strong>. Chef Ricker enjoys sharing the food culture of northern Thailand with those who have never had a chance to experience it, and he relishes the opportunity to learn from his peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Travelling to share his culinary wisdom takes him away from home and family, so Ricker seeks out professionals he admires in the food scene to collaborate with and make the best use of his time while stateside. The folks of Oxford are fortunate because we share a town with Vishwesh Bhatt<\/a><\/strong>, an outstanding culinary talent, native of India, and James Beard Award-winning chef who has helmed Snackbar<\/a><\/strong> since its inception in 2009. Chef Ricker has been a longtime admirer of Chef Bhatt, and when he was invited to the Charleston Food and Wine Festival<\/a><\/strong> this year, he reached out to Vish with the idea of cooking together. Ricker also expressed an admiration for Chef Bhatt\u2019s community work, and how he mixes Southern food with his own Indian influences. \u201cI know there\u2019s a story to tell about Indian people in the South,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t know that story, and I\u2019m eager to find out. It\u2019s educational for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Likewise, Bhatt is eager to welcome Ricker to his kitchen. They plan to incorporate locally sourced products in the menu, including rice and catfish from the Mississippi Delta as well as farmer\u2019s market produce and regional proteins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis menu is about highlighting Chef Andy\u2019s brilliance,\u201d said Bhatt. \u201cFirst and foremost I hope [diners] develop an understanding and appreciation of this food. Second, I hope they [value] Chef Andy\u2019s talent and appreciate that he chose to bring his talents to us. He could have hosted a dinner anywhere in the country but he came here. We are very fortunate and grateful for that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Covid-19 caused a halt for many restaurants, but when it hit Pok Pok, it gave Chef Ricker the opportunity to turn his focus to his permanent home: Chiang Mai. Although Ricker visits the United States regularly, he now calls Chiang Mai home, and it is where he gives back to his community with the organization The Food Trust, which he and his wife founded. You can learn more about Chef Andy Ricker on his website, AndyRicker.com, as well as purchase his cookbooks or discover his zero-proof spirit, S\u014dm<\/strong>, a cane vinegar cordial<\/a> (Elizabeth enjoyed the Pineapple Szechuan Pepper variety with some Wonderbird<\/strong><\/a> gin while researching this story).<\/p>\n\n\n\n At press time, there are still seats available for the collaborative dinner, \u201cOne Night in Snackbar.\u201d Visit Eventbrite<\/a><\/strong> to reserve tickets. The dinner will take place Friday, March 10<\/strong>, at Snackbar in Oxford. And keep an eye for Snackbar\u2019s other upcoming events; there will be more Food of My People dinners coming this spring and summer, and Chef Bhatt is always cooking up something delightful and inspiring!<\/p>\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been a fan of what [Chef Bhatt] does without even ever tasting his food,\u201d Ricker said. \u201cI look at what he\u2019s doing at Snackbar, his aesthetic, and how he approaches things. He\u2019s my kind of chef\u2014knowledgeable and old-school.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n