Andy 'Pok Pok' Ricker

Andy Ricker is the man behind the Portland based Pok Pok restaurants.  The east coast got its first taste of his Thai food in January, when Pok Pok Wing opened in the Lower East Side.  Last week, with the opening of Pok Pok Ny in Cobble Hill, the city gets its first full menu from the Thai food genius student.

In this interview Andy does with Eater, he talks about his past, his present, and his future, and how annoying it is to get shit for making Thai food without being of Thai descent.

"There's always going to be someone that will say that I'm a white dude doing fusion food, and I can tell you that that's absolutely not the case."

"There's been a lot in the press that calls me an expert on Thai food. None of that came from me. I'm a student and that's how I feel about it. I've got a lot to learn, even about the stuff that I already understand."

Andy Ricker is a perfect example of what succeeds in current restaurant trends.  He is a man obsessed with a particular cuisine who has gone to many reaches learning, studying, and ensuring that the food he is presenting is the closest thing you'll find outside its country of origin.  The incredible success of his restaurants is proof that, while he may not consider himself a master, he most certainly knows what he's doing.