May 2, 6:30 P.M. Demo and Dine: Laos Meets Bangladesh
May 02, 2024 06:30 PM
James Beard Award Nominee Ann Ahmed’s Culinary Story
25 11th Ave, New York, NY 10011, USA
There is more to a chef’s story than the cuisine they cook for their current restaurant’s menu. Chefs are a sum of their parts—from their childhood homes to the kitchens they’ve worked in, their culinary odyssey influences what lands on the plate. Such is the case with two-time James Beard Award Nominee for Best Chef Midwest, Ann Ahmed. Her upbringing in Laos, global travels, and marriage to her Bangladeshi husband, all inform her cooking today.
For this demonstration and dining event, chef Ahmed will share her connection to both Laotian cooking and Bengali cuisine for a very special evening.
General Admission: $95
MENU:
Sakoo > Dumplings with Shiitake Mushroom, Cremini Mushroom, Pickled Radishes, Peanuts, Pistachios, and Tapioca Pearls
Bangladeshi Beef Curry > Braised Beef Shoulder with Warm Spices, Khichuri, and Cucumber Slaw
Payesh > Bengali-Style Sweet Rice Pudding
Cocktail> Tanduay Rhum, Tamarind, Cucumber, and Palm Sugar
About Ann Ahmed:
Chef Ann Ahmed’s story begins in the kitchen, helping her mother and grandmother, who escaped worn-torn Laos, cook. Chef Ahmed knew she wanted to own a restaurant ever since she was fourteen years old. In 2005, her dream came true when she opened Lemon Grass Thai Cuisine in Brooklyn Park, which serves colorful and original dishes influenced by her travels around the world. Chef Ann quickly gained a reputation for her unique Laotian spin on traditional Thai food. In 2018 she opened her second restaurant, Lat14 Asian Eatery in Golden Valley which is inspired by the cuisines and cultures of countries located on the 14th latitudinal parallel like Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines. In 2021 she opened her third restaurant, Khâluna, the Buddhist word for “compassion.” Khâluna has found a home in Minneapolis and hopes to be the heart of the community and neighborhood. Her fourth and latest restaurant Gai Noi opened in 2023. The name is short for khao gai noi, which is a type of short grain glutinous rice emblematic of the northern Xieng Khouang regions of Laos, where chef Ann and her family are from. Also known as ‘little chick’ due to its spotted appearance and small shape, khao niew (sticky rice) is a staple of the Lao diet and is eaten in tandem with nearly all other dishes. Gai Noi hopes to be a binding agent for the community and connection to a heritage, culture, and lifestyle worlds apart from our own; a place to gather, share, celebrate, and nourish. It’s chef Ann’s goal with all her restaurants to transport Minnesotans to Southeast Asia through her distinct flavors and dishes.
Tickets to events held at Platform at Pier 57 by the James Beard Foundation cover the cost of food, education and a unique dining experience. Meals are prepared by culinary masters from all regions of the United States and around the world. Unless otherwise stated, alcoholic beverages are provided on a complimentary basis and are not included in the ticket price.
James Beard Foundation events permit guests age 21 years and older to attend events where alcoholic beverages are served.