Pink Salt Kitchen

I am a proud second-generation Thai and a self-taught cook. Born in central Illinois, I spent all of my summers growing up outside of Bangkok with extended family, learning how to cook. Staying with my mom’s family in "suan" life—a riverside culture filled with slow food as tradition—I was immersed in dishes and practices that are becoming increasingly rare. Every year, I would return home to America, practicing, researching, and honestly obsessing over ways to recreate the dishes I had in Thailand. When I was 8, I wrote a cookbook with my colored pencils, but it didn’t get published.

Despite my career changes, I always came back to food. Food helps me connect with my identity. To me, it is a form of love—without words, without judgment, and nourishment for those who matter most. I created Nam Prik Pao because I wanted a sauce that celebrated Thai flavors, so I could bring it with me anywhere.

Photo by Anna Jungwha

the beginnings of Pink Salt

Palita Sriratana started Pink Salt as a stall in the Fulton Galley Food Hall on Chicago’s famed restaurant row in 2019. Having only staged at Au Cheval and Nico Osteria in Chicago, opening and running a restaurant was a leap. Using the space as a launch pad, Pink Salt quickly became one of the city’s most sought-after Thai establishments. Transitioning to a pop-up series during the pandemic, Pink Salt dove deeper into exploring regional cuisines and the many nuances that come with Thai food. Reviving traditions and making new ones, Pink Salt handcrafted sauces and pastes to bring the menus to life. When customers asked to take home extra sauces, she happily obliged as they were a labor of love. Pink Salt continues to operate as a supper club and dinner series, taking over exciting places all over the city, such as Soho House, Blind Barber, Nine Bar, Longman & Eagle, Ramen-San, and Lululemon, just to name a few.

 

2 products