Andy Ricker is a reformed musician, retired house painter and two time James Beard Award winning chef/owner of Pok Pok Restaurant group in Portland, Oregon. He is also a founder of charcoal company Thaan and managing partner of Som Cane Vinegar Cordials. He first visited Thailand as a backpacker in 1987 and since his second visit in 1992 has spent several months each year living, eating, cooking and studying the food culture there. Andy currently splits his time between Portland, Oregon and Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand.
