Chomparazzi: Pichet Ong

Chomparazzi: Pichet Ong

Being one of the few prominent gay and Asian chefs in New York, Pichet considers sex and food magnetic topics. “There’s definitely a gendered aura about dishes. Not to say that a ‘manly’ or man-chef-created dish is not delicate, but I think a woman chef has more nuance and delicacy in general, like Anita Lo’s cooking [at Anissa and Rickshaw Dumpling Bar].” He credits his similar touch with food to the mentors and colleagues whom he worked closely with in California: the gutsy and original Alice Waters and Joyce Goldstein.