WASHINGTON 鈥� Erik Bruner-Yang has been at the forefront of D.C.鈥檚 culinary scene since he opened his pint-sized H Street ramen shop in 2011.
Since then, the 32-year-old chef has launched a number of concepts, including , and , a Whole Foods ramen stand 聽鈥� all while collecting two James Beard Award nominations. In April, he鈥檒l debut his latest eatery at the forthcoming hotel in Adams Morgan.
To say Bruner-Yang is busy is an understatement. But this weekend, foodies will be able to get a slice of his time at the annual 聽at the Washington Convention Center. Along with other notable chefs, including Tom Colicchio and Jacques Pepin, Bruner-Yang will take the stage to field questions and demo one of his favorite recipes, prahok ktis.
鈥淭ypically when I do the demos, I like to do a cuisine that most people aren鈥檛 familiar with,鈥� Bruner-Yang said.
The traditional Cambodian dish requires just three ingredients 鈥� fresh curry paste, ground pork and 鈥渁 touch of coconut milk.鈥� And best of all, Bruner-Yang says it鈥檚 easy to replicate at home.
Popularizing Asian cuisine is fundamental for Bruner-Yang, who was born in Taiwan and grew up in Woodbridge, Virginia 鈥� and so far, he has succeeded.
Many credit Toki Underground with igniting D.C.鈥檚 love affair with ramen. Maketto, a mixed retail/cafe/restaurant concept, presents Cambodian and Taiwanese cooking in an unrivaled way. Where else can one devour pan-seared leek buns and Taiwanese-style fried chicken alongside a curated collection of clothing and footwear?
鈥淢y overall goal and my culinary perspective is that chefs like Tom [Cunanan, co-owner and chef at D.C.鈥檚 Bad Saint] or chefs like me, we鈥檙e speaking to a new genre of American cooking,鈥� Bruner-Yang said. 聽
鈥淲hen people think of American cooking they think of burgers and fries and chili and hot dogs and stuff like that, or Southern food, which is probably the most classically American kind of cooking 鈥� but Asians have been in America 鈥� almost as long as part of the original settlement, so I think Asian food is a big part of the American history, and so I think we鈥檙e kind of carrying that torch.鈥�
As for what taste buds can expect from his new spot at The Line, set to open in 2017, Bruner-Yang鈥檚 answer is a given: 鈥淒elicious.鈥�
The plans are not top-secret; he鈥檚 still just figuring things out, he says.
Bruner-Yang takes the James Beard Cooking Stage at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4 at MetroCooking DC. You can find the full schedule of events and ticket information at .
