VICE released a nice preview today of an upcoming documentary Farang, about Andy Ricker. “In the documentary, VICE traveled with Andy from Thailand, to Portland, to New York to explore how the chef bridged the gap between regional Thai cuisine and Western palettes.”
“Farang,” the Thai word for “white foreigner,” is Andy’s nickname around Thailand. When Andy opened his first Portland-based Thai restaurant, Pok Pok, it was unlike any other in the United States.
The documentary explores how Andy’s 25-year relentless obsession with a country, its culture, and its food practices led him to his present-day success as chef and owner of seven restaurants nationwide with a massive cult following. The film also looks at the struggles within the American Thai restaurant community, and how authenticity is at the core value system of Andy’s craft.
It’s one of the better videos of this type that I have seen in a long time.
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