Innovation Week: Nupohn Inthanousay

Credit to Arturo Olmos for the portrait picture

It’s Innovation Week, and we are featuring the giants of Lao food innovation in the U.S. Please meet Nupohn Inthanousay, co-owner of Goldee’s Barbecue which was named the #1 BBQ in Texas by Texas Monthly.

Q: What does innovation of Lao cuisine mean to you? Why is it important?

Innovation of Lao cuisine means a lot to me. Lao cuisine already in itself is extraordinary. A cuisine that takes you on a sensational journey. From the visually stunning dishes, the feeling of warm sticky rice in your hands, the aromatics of fresh herbs and spices, and flavors that hit every note: sweet, sour, salty, cool, & hot. But to take Lao cuisine further beyond extraordinary, there needs to be innovation. Meaning new ideas, methods, and techniques need to be incorporated. Not “Americanizing” or “modernizing” but evolving. Taking our cuisine, our pride and joy, to new heights. Showing the world what it means to be Lao.

Q: What are a few Lao dishes, desserts, or beverages that you've worked to innovate?

Some lao dishes that we have served at Goldee’s are: smoked Lao sausage with sticky rice & jeow som, smoked ping gai with jeow mak len. smoked laab, smoked seen sivanh, mango sticky rice, & nam vanh.

Smoked Laab

Lao sausage with sticky rice & jeow som

Smoked ping gai with jeow mak len

Nam vanh

Q: What does the future of Lao food look like?

The future of Lao cuisine looks very bright to me. It’s going to be a long journey but Lao cuisine will reach new limits.

Q: Who or what inspires your innovation?

The person who inspired me to learn about my culture and to appreciate was my friend & father figure to me, Thai Changthong, who is the owner/chef of Thai Kun. He taught me how to appreciate my lao culture and to not be afraid, but to be proud to Lao.

Q: Where can people learn more about the work that you do?

You can learn more about the work I do by following me on Instagram @nupohn or by following our restaurant instagram @goldeesbbq