This year, immerse yourself in the rich foundations of Lao cuisine, taught directly by the source: Chef Seng, widely celebrated as the Mother of the Lao Food Movement.

This exclusive cooking course series offers an intimate introduction to the traditional flavors, vibrant ingredients, and time-honored techniques of the Mekong River. You’ll learn recipes passed down through generations—from Chef Seng’s grandmother, to her mother, to her, and now to you. This is a hybrid class focused on hands on learning and guided cooking demo by Chef Seng.

Class registration is open for Fall!

Sunday, August 20th from 12 - 2:30PM

Sunday, September 27th from 12 - 2:30PM

Only 20 spots open per class

Class Registration Fee: $195 per person (tax not included)

SIGN UP FOR CLASS

The Class Includes

  • Welcome Snacks

  • Personal instruction from Chef Seng and her team

  • All ingredients, equipment, and cooking materials

  • A take-home gift bag featuring recipe essentials and a recipe card from the class

A Love Letter to Lao Cuisine

“Chef Seng remembers watching the other refugees cook outside her family's bamboo hut. It was 1981, and she was a 12-year-old in a Thai refugee camp, having escaped a politically unstable Laos with her mother and brothers. She had always been shy, but her neighbors' cuisines—from all over Laos—fascinated her. She dared to ask for lessons.”

SIGN UP FOR CLASS

Get to Know Chef Seng

Chef Seng Luangrath, Founder of the Lao Food Movement
Chef Seng was born in Laos and learned to cook in a refugee camp in Thailand before immigrating to the U.S. Her cooking blends Lao traditions with American influences, fueling her mission to pioneer the Lao Food Movement and bring Lao cuisine to the national stage.

She opened Thip Khao in Washington, D.C. in 2014, which quickly became a home for the Lao Food Movement and has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand annually since 2018. Thip Khao has been named one of Bon Appétit’s Top 50 New Restaurants in America and one of The New York Times’ Best 50 Restaurants (2024). In 2025, her newest concept, Baan Mae (“Mom’s House”), was honored as one of Bon Appétit’s 20 Best New Restaurants in America.

Chef Seng’s accolades include being named Eater’s 2015 Chef of the Year, a two-time James Beard semifinalist, and the RAMMY Awards’ 2025 Restaurateur of the Year. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Food & Wine, GQ, and Netflix’s Somebody Feed Phil.

Today, Chef Seng continues to cook, mentor, and champion Lao cuisine alongside a growing community of Lao American chefs and restaurateurs.