Chefs' Table: Celebrating Southeast Asia

Schedule

Saturday, June 3, 2023
5–7 p.m. Seating No. 1
8–10 p.m. Seating No. 2

Join Asia Society Texas for an exclusive seated dinner, exploring the cuisines of Southeast Asia with some of Houston’s most acclaimed chefs!

Sharing an appreciation of locally grown ingredients and an affinity for Southeast Asian flavors, chefs Nina Fonte of Aleng Nina’s, Suu Khin of Burmalicious, and Vanarin Kuch of Koffeteria have brought their beloved, yet underrepresented, cuisines to the forefront of the Houston food scene. For this one-night-only, multicourse dinner experience in Asia Society Texas’ Water Garden Terrace, the chefs are curating a unique street food-inspired tasting menu as they honor and highlight their family recipes, compelling stories, and culinary traditions of the Philippines, Burma (Myanmar), and Cambodia.

A wine pairing option is available for purchase with the meal. Vegetarian options are also available; please select this option when purchasing tickets. Additional dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated. Each seating is limited to 34 guests. Tickets are inclusive of tax, gratuity, and non-alcoholic drinks.

About the Chefs

Chef-owner of Aleng Nina’s, a Filipino pop-up shop, Nina Fonte’s mission is to share her culture through her passion for cooking. Through her experience working in the restaurant industry, Chef Nina elevates Filipino comfort foods and provides a modern take to propel Filipino food forward. Chef Nina strives to create a new experience of Filipino cuisine that is rooted in nostalgia. “Even though we move forward, we never forget home.”

Born and raised in Burma (nestled between India, China and Thailand and also known as Myanmar), Suu Khin is the chef, creator and storyteller behind Burmalicious, a platform that specializes in demystifying Burmese cuisine. She was also a finalist on MasterChef: Legends. Suu immigrated to Houston in 2018 and since then, through her food blog, press and media appearances, cooking classes and series of pop-up dinners, she has been creating culinary experiences to elicit conversations about Burmese flavors and culture. Burmalicious has been named one of the best pop-ups in Houston by Eater in 2022 and also nominated for best pop-up/startup at CultureMap Tastemaker Awards 2023. For Suu, cooking not only gives her a purpose and pleasure, it is also an indelible connection to her family and heritage and she dreams of putting her beloved cuisine on the map through cookbooks, tv programs, social media and restaurants around the world.

Koffeteria is the brain-child of pastry chef Vanarin Kuch. Growing up as the child of Cambodian refugees, food served as an anchor to bring his family together. Kuch rose to prominence early in his career as the opening pastry chef at Tiny Boxwoods, and national audiences got to know him from appearances on Top Chef: Just Desserts and Chopped. After years away at top kitchens in New York and Chicago, he returned to his hometown to open Koffeteria. His shop welcomes people into the East Downtown neighborhood, where his relatives used to operate fish & doughnut shops. Showcasing beautiful mid-century furniture in an industrial setting, the shop is an inviting place for visitors to enjoy a dessert in style. His food is often as whimsical as it is ambitious, but always brings bold flavors into balance.

Performing Arts and Culture programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Syamal and Susmita Poddar. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Houston Endowment, and The Brown Foundation Inc. Generous funding also provided by AARP, The Anchorage Foundation of Texas, The Clayton Fund, The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts, and the Wortham Foundation. Additional support provided by the Texas Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and through contributions from the Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing exceptional programming and exhibitions to Asia Society Texas.

Performing Arts and Culture Presenting Sponsors

Syamal and Susmita Poddar

Performing Arts and Culture Program Sponsors

Program Partners

About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.