Tommy Charoen

Coming Up

Training at The Venetian Hotel and Casino gave Tommy Charoen an early foundation in polished kitchens and exact standards. That kind of environment trains habit as much as technique, and it shows up later in a cook’s attention to consistency. From there, he moved into the role of corporate Executive Chef at Straits Restaurant Group in California, where leadership and kitchen discipline became part of the job. That path—training, then responsibility, then guiding other kitchens—shaped the way Tommy Charoen approaches his own work. As Executive Chef and co-founder of Rooster & Rice, he carries that background into a restaurant built around clarity rather than excess. The point is not to obscure a familiar dish, but to present it with enough control that its structure stays visible.

Where They Are Now

At Rooster & Rice in San Francisco, Tommy Charoen’s work sits at the intersection of technical training, corporate kitchen experience, and a focused single-dish format. The restaurant depends on repetition, and repetition is where refinement lives. In that setting, a humble bowl can hold the whole argument: comfort, discipline, and a steady hand on a classic.

Signature

Tommy's signature dishes include Khao Mun Gai, Organic Thai-Style Chicken Rice, and Mother Sauce. Together, these dishes sketch the contours of his cooking: one rooted in tradition, one shaped by a more contemporary framing, and one that suggests the supporting depth behind the plate. Whether served in its most familiar form or through a slightly different expression, the work remains centered on balance, comfort, and a polished sense of purpose.

In Their Words “Although I majored in computer science in college, I quickly discovered that my life's passion is cooking food.” “My culinary training began in Las Vegas at the luxurious Venetian Hotel and Casino.”