Andy Ricker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Andy Ricker

Ricker in 2011
Born	1963 (age 61–62) North Carolina, U.S.
Cooking style	Thai cuisine

Andy Ricker (born in 1963) is a famous American chef, restaurateur (someone who owns or manages restaurants), and cookbook writer. He is well-known for his amazing skills and knowledge of northern Thai cuisine, which is food from the northern part of Thailand.

Andy Ricker's Culinary Journey

Andy Ricker started his career as a teenager, washing dishes in Vermont. He learned a lot about cooking by traveling and working in different restaurants around the world. He explored countries like New Zealand, Australia, and Thailand. He even worked at a very fancy restaurant called Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons near Oxford, England. This restaurant had a special award called a Michelin star, which means it's known for excellent food.

Andy first visited Thailand in 1987. From 1992 onwards, he kept going back to Thailand for several months each year. He did this to deeply study and understand Thai food culture and cooking styles.

Andy Ricker's Restaurants

Andy Ricker has opened many popular restaurants and bars, especially focusing on Thai food. Here are some of his well-known places:

• Pok Pok, Portland (opened in November 2005)
• Ping
• Whiskey Soda Lounge, Portland (opened in December 2009)
• Pok Pok Noi (opened in March 2011)
• Pok Pok Wing (later renamed Pok Pok Phat Thai) (opened in January 2012)
• Pok Pok Ny, New York (opened in April 2012)
• Sen Yai, Portland (opened in May 2013)
• Whiskey Soda Lounge Ny, New York (opened in August 2013)
• Pok Pok Phat Thai, LA (opened in November 2014)
• Pok Pok LA (opened in October 2015)
• Pok Pok NW (opened in Spring 2017)

Awards and Recognition

Andy Ricker and his restaurants have won many important awards for their delicious food:

• 2007: The Oregonian newspaper named Pok Pok in Portland "Restaurant of the Year."
• 2009: GQ Magazine listed Pok Pok as one of the "Top Ten Best New Restaurants in America."
• 2011: Andy won the James Beard Foundation Award for "Best Chef, Northwest" for his restaurant Pok Pok in Portland. This is a very respected award in the food world.
• 2014: He won a James Beard Foundation Award for his article "The Star of Siam: Thai Curries" in Saveur magazine. This award was for "cooking, recipes or instruction."
• 2014: He also received an IACP Award for the same article in Saveur magazine, in the "Instructional Culinary Writing" category.
• 2014: Pok Pok Ny in New York received a star in the 2015 Michelin Guide. This is a huge honor, showing the restaurant has very high-quality cooking.

Books by Andy Ricker

Andy Ricker has also shared his knowledge through books:

• Pok Pok: Food and Stories from the Streets, Homes, and Roadside Restaurants of Thailand (published in 2013). He wrote this book with J.J. Goode, and it features photos by Austin Bush. The famous chef David Thompson wrote the introduction.

Television Appearances

Andy Ricker has appeared on several TV shows, sharing his love for food:

• Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, Brooklyn (November 2012)
• Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Thailand (June 2014)
• Farang, the story of chef Andy Ricker by VICE Films (July 2014)
• The Taste, Bring the Heat (January 2015)
• Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri, Season 28 Episode 21 (2018)

See Also

• James Beard Foundation Award: 2010s