NIKKY'S STORY

From Dallas to Bangkok…and Back

Chef Nikky has lived in Texas and Thailand, and blends the two deliciously!

Nikky Phinyawatana is the charismatic chef behind the Chef Nikky lifestyle brand and the iconic Asian Mint restaurants, now celebrating 20 years across five bustling Dallas locations. Her passion for Thai cuisine and culture has earned her a top spot in the culinary world, with accolades including her award-winning cookbook “Thai Food and Travel with Chef Nikky: Easy Thai Recipes to Feed Your Soul” and her popular YouTube series Thai Takeover. Nikky makes Thai and Asian fusion cooking approachable and fun, whether you’re a novice or a seasoned foodie.

A dynamic speaker and influencer, Nikky loves sharing her journey as an Asian American entrepreneur, inspiring audiences to follow their passions. Her laid-back yet engaging style makes her a perfect fit for collaborations and events. Named one of the Top 10 Best Chefs in Dallas, she’s not just about great food—she’s all about giving back, supporting over 100 charities through her work.

When Nikky isn’t whipping up culinary masterpieces, you might find her baking at midnight, diving into the best Texas BBQ, or jetting off to beach destinations with yummy food scenes. Always up for a spontaneous adventure, she embodies the soul of a true food lover. Featured in D Magazine’s list of North Texas’s most influential leaders, Nikky also launched a line of Thai cooking sauces and created virtual “Escape to Thailand” experiences during the pandemic.

Nikky Phinyawatana is not just a chef; she’s a culinary trailblazer with a zest for life, making every meal an adventure. Whether you want to cook alongside her, hear her speak, or simply vibe with her love for food and travel, Nikky is the ultimate foodie friend you wish you had. She lives in Dallas with her husband and two kids, always ready for the next delicious journey.

This “Texas Thai/Asian Fusion” upbringing ignited Nikky’s deep passion for food, culture, and travel. Her experiences touched her soul – a love and a passion she’s vowed to share with people everywhere she goes.

Celebrity Buzz

Chef Nikky's got people talking on the local and national levels!

– Eater Dallas #1 Best Thai Food

– CultureMap Dallas’ Top 100 Restaurants

– USA Today Featured restaurant

– Zagat Featured restaurant

– TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

– Dallas Observer

– Where Women Create Cover Feature

– Women That Soar “Business Award 2017”

– eWomen Network “Business Matchmaker of the Year”

– D Magazine featured Nikky in the special edition “Most Influential North Texas Leaders in 2020”

– D Magazine “Reader’s Choice Award” for Best Thai Restaurant

– RestaurantandHospitality.com recognized Nikky’s exemplary efforts during 2020

– Crave DFW featured Nikky’s virtual “Escape to Thailand” as she created the opportunity for those who love food and culture to explore both from the safety of their homes during 2020.

– James Beard House in New York City – Nikky designed and cooked a special dinner celebrating Loy Krathong, Thailand’s Lunar Festival.

– Kellogg’s Away from Home: May Foodie Focus

Entrepreneurial DNA

Chef Nikky IS energy and drive!

Nikky’s grandfather was the first in Thailand to import and install air conditioning in cars. Her father was one of the first to bring compact discs to Thailand, and he started a CD rental business. Her mother is an adventurer, leaving the United States as a young, pregnant mother of a toddler, and moving with her husband to Thailand where she had to learn to speak and write the language well enough to help in the family business.

So when Nikky consulted her father about forming a business around her passion for sharing how her native Bangkok had touched her soul, he told her, “Whatever you do, don’t do a restaurant – it’s the hardest thing ever!” It’s only natural that Nikky’s drive kicked in, and she instantly thought, “Well, I’ll start there!” And that’s exactly what she did.

Bringing Bangkok to Dallas – A Restaurant Empire

Asian Mint: Fresh Asian Fusion

When Nikky moved back to Texas from Thailand, she brought with her a zeal for the flavors of her native Bangkok, and she incorporated her Texan family’s southern baked desserts into her repertoire. Her heart burned with the desire to share her foodie passion with others, so at 27 years old, Nikky established her first restaurant – Asian Mint: Fresh Asian Fusion. The name reflects Nikky’s passion for freshness – her fresh approach to Asian and Thai cuisine, as well as her fresh approach to Thai restaurant décor.

Inspired by the fresh flavors she grew up with, Nikky’s restaurants are airy light green and white, featuring bright, modern dining rooms, with vibrant, colorful food served on white plates framed by white tables – a stark contrast to the dark, heavy décor usually found in Thai restaurants. Her menu is a beautiful blend of Bangkok spiced dishes and country desserts, inspired by both her Asian and Texan families.

Today, Nikky’s restaurant group has expanded to five locations, and each continually receives local and national accolades, being recognized as some of the hottest, most popular restaurants in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Scholarships and Mentorship

Growing The Next Generation

Chef Nikky supports a number of organizations that provide scholarships to ambitious, brave students who want to embark on a similar journey into the hospitality industry. Perhaps they want to open a restaurant, or hotel, or bed and breakfast. Or they may want to be nutritionists or food scientists. Nikky supports the organizations that give them guidance and mentorship.

ORGANIZATIONS

Les Dames d’Escoffier International

2020 Inspirational Business Leader

Making Lemonade out of Lemons

In a year most would rather forget, Nikky got creative and never missed a beat. Nothing’s going to stop her from sharing her passion for food, culture, and travel!

Transformed her restaurants to offer carry out
Offered specially packaged Meal Kits that could be prepared at home, bringing the entire family into the kitchen for an experience and not just a meal.
Launched a line of retail Sauces. VIEW SAUCES
Offered Online Cooking Classes with Meal Kits to educate and connect with other foodies. (Her online cooking classes incorporate stories of her native Bangkok and the traditions and holidays celebrated there, giving participants a full multi-cultural experience.)
Created a YouTube series to feed the souls of others, and a very active live feed to connect people and share her joy and energy.

Making A Difference, Touching Lives

Nikky feeding souls.

Nikky has a phrase that gets her up every morning. It keeps her centered. She bases every facet of her business around it. And it’s what she plans on doing for the rest of her life: “Nikky Feeding Souls.”

She’s seen life-changing moments happen in the restaurants through the food experiences and conversations that come from talking about food, life, love, and passion. She’s seen the soul-fed smiles and heard the oooh’s that fill her restaurants. She’s watched the delight as someone takes an otherwise ordinary dish and transforms it through one of her private label sauces. She’s seen the joy of her cooking students as they create an amazing Thai dish. And she sees the comments on her YouTube channel as people experience virtually with her the streets of Thailand.

All of these experiences feed Nikky’s own soul, and she’s dedicating her life to continuing to share her passion for culture, food, and travel – and feeding more souls!