Kru (190 N. 14th St.) opened two years ago in Williamsburg with inventive interpretations of traditional Thai dishes from husband and wife team Chef Ohm Suansilphong and Kiki Supap.
After serving the neighborhood for two years, Kru is spicing things up. The restaurant is hosting a new monthly series in collaboration with wine director James O’Brien. The first night of the series, the Thai Food & The New French Wine Event, will take place on Wednesday, September 4.
Wednesday’s event will offer fresh French spins on Chef Suansilphong’s Thai dishes and a wine list takeover from Jon Bonné, the author of The New French Wine, who will be signing (and selling) his book at Kru during the event.
Greenpointers spoke with Chef Suansilphong about this new wine series, Kru’s recognition in the Michelin Guide, and the one dish that first time guests should order at Kru.
Greenpointers: Kru’s first monthly wine event is coming up. What food will you serve to pair with the wine?
Chef Ohm Suansilphong: I will serve à la carte Thai food from Kru’s menu plus special dishes. For these special dishes, I will play around with familiar French ingredients, using Thai cooking methods and flavors, such as crudités, escargots, and frog legs.
Greenpointers: Are you excited to put a new spin on your food for the event?
Chef Suansilphong: More than excited! I mostly cook Thai food, but I have tried to use ingredients typically used in French cooking, like frog legs, when I’m cooking for my friends.
Greenpointers: Does the menu ever change at Kru? Is this is first time you are switching things up?
Chef Suansilphong: This is not the first time we have changed the menu; we revise ingredients a bit seasonally, but we are now making a major change to the menu.
In addition to offering this exciting new wine program, we want to make the food menu more accessible and easy to enjoy. I am putting more small plates on the menu to allow guests to visit and eat by themselves.
Greenpointers: Tell us about your path to Kru. How did you get into the food industry?
Chef Suansilphong: I’ve been a professional chef for 12 years, but I did not originally want to be a chef.
My parents moved to the United States and opened a restaurant in Virginia. They asked if I wanted to help saying that owning a restaurant is something an immigrant can do. They also explained it will be harder if I didn’t cook myself, because then I would have to hire a chef.
I knew I wanted to be with my parents, so I went to a Thai cooking school and worked with chefs in Thailand and Australia, then came to the United States.
Greenpointers: Is there one dish guests have to try when visiting Kru for the first time?
Chef Suansilphong: I think everyone should try the savory fruit bites. They have been on the menu since we opened.
Greenpointers: What is your favorite thing to cook?
Chef Suansilphong: I love to cook spicy things like curry with fish. So, definitely spicy foods are my favorite things to make.
Greenpointers: Speaking of spice, the Michelin Guide named Kru as one of the Best Restaurants for Spicy Food in New York City. How did this recognition make you feel?
Chef Suansilphong: Definitely happy. I love the recognition from Michelin. I also love that they are recommending spicy dishes, because now more people will be more open to trying spicy things.
Greenpointers: What do you like to eat when you’re not working?
Chef Suansilphong: Because I cook Thai food everyday, including the family meals for our staff, I like to try new cuisines and new restaurants when I’m not working. I like to be inspired by them.