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Cooking is a a lifelong passion for Nang Keophommavong, a Baton Rouge restaurateur whose culinary wisdom has informed local eateries Thai Pepper and Chai Thai-Lao, as well as others outside the metropolitan region.
Avoiding shortcuts and taking extra steps to layer flavors — even in random concepts — is Keophommavong’s culinary calling card, says daughter Kit Keophommavong-Bradford.
The two opened Thai and Lao restaurant Chai Thai-Lao in early 2023.
“When she was growing up, it was all about using what you grew,” says Keophommavong-Bradford. “I wasn’t going to Walmart.”
Keophommavong, now 66, immigrated to the United States from Thailand in the 1980s, settling first in California before heading to the Bayou State.
The mother of four opened Thai Pepper in 2000, running it with a partner for about 20 years. Her culinary skills are renowned among her extended network of friends and family. She has consulted for four other restaurants outside of Baton Rouge, including eateries on the Northshore and in Florida and Washington.
“When they open a new restaurant, they call me to help,” Keophomavong says.
Keophommavong-Bradford credits her mother for the old-school techniques that have helped Chai Thai-Lao gain a loyal following in less than two years. Sales far exceeded expectations, she says.
“One thing she does is add muscadine leaves to the papaya salad dressing while it’s cooking. It adds umami,” says Keophommavong-Bradford. “It comes from using what’s around you.”
For the laab salad, Keophommavong makes its own toasted rice powder, an Asian cooking pantry staple that adds texture and nutty flavor. She does this by toasting and grinding glutinous rice after cooking it with lemongrass and other undisclosed ingredients. She also developed the restaurant’s popular Thai egg recipe, calling for fresh-sliced pork in hand-rolled wheat wrappers and a homemade sweet and sour sauce.
When she’s not cooking at a restaurant, Keophommavong is known for hosting big Sunday family dinners of prepared soups and noodle and rice dishes, including the crowd-pleaser kaipun, a curry noodle soup with ground fish and pork, her daughter says.
“I love it,” says Keophommavong. “It makes me happy to cook for my kids and family.” chai-thai-lao.com
This article was originally published in the November 2024 issue 225 Magazine.
