Cooking & Baking

Soulayphet Schwader

Born in Laos, he immigrated to Wichita, KS as a refugee with his mother and siblings at a very young age. Dissatisfied in college, he found himself working as a cook in a restaurant, and given his talent and passion for food decided to attend the New Orlean Culinary Institute in VT. After completing his program, he moved to NYC and began working, but noticed the complete absence of Laotian cuisine, which led to his decision to open his own restaurant. There is a strong sense of tradition and family in his cooking, and his mother will often stop in to supervise and criticize. His 2011 trip back to Laos was highly informative, and helped to set the menu for his NYC establishment. Khe-yo highlights traditional Laotian flavors using quality local ingredients, encouraging guests to engage directly with their food by using their hands to eat.