Fast Track: Kris Yenbamroong
At L.A.'s Night + Market, this young chef's bold Thai food got everyone's attention. He goes even further at Song.
Kris Yenbamroong is intent on making the world appreciate water bug relish. A type of dip, it's a delicacy in northern Thailand, where the 31-year-old often goes to cook with relatives. That experience helped Yenbamroong become one of L.A.'s most buzzed about chefs at Night + Market, where he serves in-your-face Thai gastropub dishes like coconut-glazed pork satay (recipe below). At his new spot, Night + Market Song (song means "two"), he continues to champion Thai food, even if it sounds scary, like pork head curry, which he calls "curry Jell-O" because of its texture. But he doesn't want Song to just be a hyper-regional spot. "It's where you have food, beers and hang out. Like TGI Fridays, but with water bug relish." thenightmarket.blogspot.com