Tiffani Faison of Tiger Mama
Destination: Southeast Asia
Tiffani Faison may have been an Army brat, but her culinary upbringing was far removed from MREs. “To their credit, my parents were great about never letting us live on-base,” she says. “That set the path now for what I do with my life and my passion for other cultures and their cuisines.”
Some of her earliest and most vivid travel memories include her first fish taco in Mexico (“It blew my head off”) and getting off a plane in Greece to find a traditional Mediterranean feast. “Those experiences lit the match for me wanting to be a chef and understanding who I am.”
The Sweet Cheeks BBQ proprietrix took a sharp left turn from pulled pork after two trips with wife Kelly Walsh to Southeast Asia, where a bowl of the classic street food gra pow changed everything. “It brought me to my knees—it was unbelievable to the point where I think I had three more orders. It was like seeing a couple of unicorns.”
Now there’s a version on the menu at her new Fenway restaurant Tiger Mama. But Faison is aiming to interpret rather than re-create the couple’s culinary journeys through Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, replacing the fresh papaya of a traditional Thai salad with crisp fried ribbons of the fruit, for instance. And she and her staff are still trying to wrap their heads around challenges like “broken” broths (“Fat separating from the protein is a concept that doesn’t work in Western cuisine!”) and sourcing specialty Asian produce in Boston.
But while Tiger Mama’s menu may evolve, Faison is committed to her travel philosophy: Make reservations first, and then fill in the gaps. “We eat, touch the Colosseum, spend an hour walking and then go eat again,” she says of her travels with Walsh. “I would argue that food provides the same level of history, insight and terroir as any museum or monument.”
Chew Your Own Adventure
For globe-trotting toques, inspiration is often the best souvenir. Here’s a look at how the stamps on their passports impact what’s on your plate.
By C. Dimiti | Photo Credit: Holly Rike | Feb. 12, 2016
Tiffani Faison of Tiger Mama
Destination: Southeast Asia
Tiffani Faison may have been an Army brat, but her culinary upbringing was far removed from MREs. “To their credit, my parents were great about never letting us live on-base,” she says. “That set the path now for what I do with my life and my passion for other cultures and their cuisines.”
Some of her earliest and most vivid travel memories include her first fish taco in Mexico (“It blew my head off”) and getting off a plane in Greece to find a traditional Mediterranean feast. “Those experiences lit the match for me wanting to be a chef and understanding who I am.”
The Sweet Cheeks BBQ proprietrix took a sharp left turn from pulled pork after two trips with wife Kelly Walsh to Southeast Asia, where a bowl of the classic street food gra pow changed everything. “It brought me to my knees—it was unbelievable to the point where I think I had three more orders. It was like seeing a couple of unicorns.”
Now there’s a version on the menu at her new Fenway restaurant Tiger Mama. But Faison is aiming to interpret rather than re-create the couple’s culinary journeys through Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, replacing the fresh papaya of a traditional Thai salad with crisp fried ribbons of the fruit, for instance. And she and her staff are still trying to wrap their heads around challenges like “broken” broths (“Fat separating from the protein is a concept that doesn’t work in Western cuisine!”) and sourcing specialty Asian produce in Boston.
But while Tiger Mama’s menu may evolve, Faison is committed to her travel philosophy: Make reservations first, and then fill in the gaps. “We eat, touch the Colosseum, spend an hour walking and then go eat again,” she says of her travels with Walsh. “I would argue that food provides the same level of history, insight and terroir as any museum or monument.”
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