- OUR HISTORY -

Rhong-Tiam was founded by Andy Yang in 2008, with the support and help of Erik Cheah. it opened in a small, secluded space on LaGuardia Place in Greenwich Village. Within a very short period of time, it became a true destination restaurant – receiving rave reviews from the New York Times, as well as from the neighborhood and various food blogs. After receiving a Michelin star in 2010, an expansion was in order.

Rhong-Tiam has now opened our new flagship express store in the heart of Gramercy.

- WHY RHONG-TIAM? -

The key to Rhong-Tiam’s mission is in our name. Rhong-Tiam means an inn, the traditional center of hospitality. In ancient Asia, an inn would combine a space for rest and relaxation with the most authentic and noteworthy food of the province in which it was located. We remain true to that spirit by offering food from throughout Thailand, remaining true to our roots in every province of the country.

There are many Thai restaurants in New York City and throughout the east coast, but few know how to use the proper spices and follow the original methods of cooking that make Thai cooking truly unique.

At Rhong-Tiam, Chef Yang endeavors to serve his guests the authentic Thai food that real Thai people eat. We never skimp on the process of cooking and refuse to sacrifice the freshness of our ingredients. We use fresh coconut milk for our curries as well as fresh Thai basil and chilies, handpicked from Chef Yang’s garden.

ANDY YANG

Andy Yang, founder and executive chef of Rhong-Tiam, holds an MBA but gained his true education from his family. His great grandmother was a cook to the King of Thailand and passed down a wealth of culinary knowledge to her family.

It was Chef Yang’s mother who inspired him to cook and taught him, side by side, the proper and traditional methods of authentic Thai cooking as well as a wealth of ancient recipes.

Andy’s father opened restaurants in Thailand and Hong Kong, which are known for serving rare dishes not to be found elsewhere. Since moving to America in 1997, Chef Yang has brought the philosophy to New york City. At Rhong-Tiam, he serves authentic Thai dishes, the likes of which are rarely seen outside of Southeast Asia. Spice and strong flavors are his trademarks.

Chef Yang deftly balances the spice, sweet, salty, and tart elements of Thai cuisine to offer an experience that is completely unique while always remaining loyal to tradition. It is hard to find a partner who shares his passion and knows how to truly handle an authentic Thai kitchen, so Andy is thrilled to have found a chef de cuisine and business partner in Erik Cheah, a skilled chef and longtime friend who truly understands both the subtleties of Asian cooking and the demands of a New York City restaurant.

ERIK CHEAH

Erik Cheah was born and raised in Penang, Malaysia and came to the United States with his family when he was 15. his passion for the culinary arts was fueled chiefly by his grandmother. Grandma always emphasized the iimportance of using fresh ingredients – of only cooking with the absolute freshest of ingredients and never settling for anything less. She would take Erik to the local market on Sunday mornings to show him how to pic the freshest ingredients.

Erik clearly remembers his first visit to this local market, from the slippery concerte floor with cloudy water streaming through his flip flops to the meat, often left dangling for customers to pic their favorite cuts. Seafood was stored in bubbling tanks waiting for customers to net their own catch. Vegetables where lightly soiled, freshly picked from a nearby farm. To many foreigners, this is a sight of uncleanliness, but to Erik, freshness was calling. To this day, visiting a fresh market is still Erik’s favorite pastime.

Since finishing his studies at the Art Institute of New York City and working as an intern at such restaurants as the renowned Per Se, Erik has been running the kitchen at various Penangs. Penang, a family-owned and operated restaurant group, with local up and down the east coast, features a menu full of dishes inspired by Cheah’s grandmother’s recipe. Erik is now thrilled to be a partner and chef de cuisine in Rhong-Tiam’s operations.