A Journey from Homesickness to Hospitality
When Chef Chuck first moved to New York, he didn’t arrive with a restaurant plan in hand. Cooking, at first, was simply a way to fight off homesickness. Preparing Thai food for himself gave him comfort, and sharing photos of those dishes online unexpectedly opened doors.
“I shared some of those dishes on social media, and a startup in New York that connected chefs with private clients reached out,” he recalls.
What seemed like a casual hobby quickly grew into something larger.
“At first I thought it was just for fun, but then more and more people booked me. Before long I was cooking in different homes across the city.”
That marked the beginning of a decade-long career as a private chef. Chuck cooked in apartments across New York City and the Hamptons, serving families, executives, and even celebrities — clients accustomed to high standards and intimate hospitality. The experience honed his skills in ways restaurant kitchens never could. Yet while the work was rewarding, it also felt temporary.
“After years of catering and private work, I wanted a space where my food could really speak for itself,” he says.
“I wanted something built in my own name, not just working under someone else’s banner.”
Rooted in Memory, Reimagined in New York
That dream led to Valla Table, the restaurant Chuck opened in Hell’s Kitchen in 2020. For him, the concept wasn’t about inventing something new, but about drawing from his deepest memories.
Those memories go back to Nan, a province in northern Thailand where he grew up surrounded by food. His grandmother ran a small Thai-Chinese restaurant, and daily life revolved around cooking.
“Food wasn’t just about eating,” he says. “It was about being together, doing something side by side.
As a boy, he followed his grandmother to the morning market, helping carry bundles of fragrant herbs, tropical fruits, and the thin-skinned limes that flavored her dishes. By age nine, he was already confident in the kitchen.
“The one that stands out most is braised pork leg rice,” he remembers.
“I was only nine years old, but I already knew how to serve it with rice, boil the eggs, and prepare the broth. Before school I would help portion it out for customers.”
That dish, humble yet powerful, gave him his first sense of pride.
“It was the first time I felt proud of being able to cook something people paid for and enjoyed.”
Those formative lessons still guide him today.
“The first question is always, ‘Does it taste like home?’” he explains.
Only when a dish feels true to those early flavors does he think about presentation or adaptation.
One standout is fried rice with Nam Prik Ong and crispy pork belly, a dish that transforms the chili-and-tomato dip his grandmother always kept on the table into a New York-ready main course.
“Every time I serve it, it feels like a conversation between my past and present.”
Another is Mom’s Pad Thai, inspired by his mother’s lighter, less-sweet approach to the classic dish. These aren’t just recipes — they are tributes, culinary family albums rewritten on the plate.
Food Without Compromise
Of course, translating childhood flavors into a new city hasn’t been easy. Chuck admits that patience has been his greatest test.
“Honestly, patience,” he says without hesitation.
“Thai food takes time, and so does building a restaurant. When I first started cooking crispy pork belly in New York, it took me months to figure out how to dry the skin without the hot sun of Nan.”
The trial and error mirrored the larger challenges of opening a restaurant — managing staff, sourcing the right ingredients, and winning over guests in one of the most competitive dining scenes in the world.
“Everything from managing staff to finding the right ingredients is harder than people imagine. But those struggles make the successes feel even bigger.”
Through it all, he’s refused to compromise on authenticity. Rather than tone down flavors to fit expectations, he takes the time to educate his diners.
“I never hide the real flavors. Instead, I guide people,” he explains.
“If something is spicy, I explain how it balances with rice. If it has shrimp paste or fermented fish, I tell them the story behind it and let them taste it together with fresh herbs or vegetables.”
The result is a dining experience that is bold yet welcoming, where unfamiliar flavors become approachable through context and storytelling.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Chuck hopes to continue building a space where Thai cuisine in all its variety can be experienced and appreciated — a place that celebrates family recipes, regional depth, and the balance of bold, comforting flavors.
“In five years, I want Valla Table to be a place where people come specifically to explore dishes they cannot find anywhere else.”
His advice to young chefs reflects the wisdom of his own journey:
“Be patient, keep practicing, and open a restaurant only if you cannot imagine life without cooking and sharing food.”
From helping his grandmother portion braised pork leg rice before school, to cooking private dinners across New York, to running a restaurant where Thai food is both personal and communal, Chef Chuck has carried his roots into every stage of his career. And in doing so, he has given New Yorkers flavors they didn’t know they were waiting for — but now might not want to live without.
📖 Chef Chuck
📍 Valla Table — 641 10th Avenue, Hell’s Kitchen, New York, NY
📷 Follow @chuckvalla @vallatable
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