Laotian Braised Pork Belly

Growing up in small-town Kansas, Chef Soulayphet Schwader recalls a youth spent clamoring for a ham sandwich instead of the traditional Laotian lunches his mother would pack for him each day. It wasn't until he secured his first job as a fry cook, while studying philosophy at Kansas University, that the possibilities inherent in his colorful background began to materialize. Schwader began his formal education at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. After completing an externship at Dundee Bistro in Oregon, where he was exposed to the nuances of wine and its relationship to food, Schwader came to New York to work under Patricia Yeo at AZ. Within six months, he was promoted to Sous Chef, working with an award-winning team that counted Chef Pino Maffeo among its members. When Maffeo headed to Boston to open Restaurant L, he recruited Schwader, who was able to explore his Asian roots, playing with flavors and ingredients that lent an eclectic distinction to the acclaimed restaurant. After two years under the tutelage of the famously creative chef, Schwader returned to New York, where he would take on his first post under his trusted mentor, Laurent Tourondel, at BLT Prime. He was later tapped to open one of BLT's first outposts outside of Manhattan. As Chef de Cuisine of BLT Steak in Washington D.C, Schwader influenced the kitchen and the menu, leading BLT Steak to become a popular destination for many Washingtonians. Schwader returned to New York in 2008 to begin a new project with colleague and friend King Phojanakong. Together they headed uptown to open Talay in West Harlem, bringing with them an eclectic menu of Latin and Asian influenced dishes. After a year at Talay, Schwader and King were ready for a new opportunity and this time headed to the Clinton Hill neighborhood in Brooklyn to open their highly anticipated restaurant Umi Nom. While at Umi Nom, Schwader incorporated flavors associated with great memories of food and flavors his mother would bring to the table in Kansas and used all the techniques and influences from his culinary career to make Umi Nom a wonderful dining destination in Brooklyn. Most recently, Schwader has been working alongside Marc Forgione at both his Atlantic City Steakhouse and flagship restaurant in Tribeca. Collaborating with Forgione, Schwader has carried on Forgione’s vision of American Cuisine while honing his own culinary skills.

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