Umi Nom

Chef King Phojanakong is a native New Yorker who was born and raised in Manhattan. His early culinary influences began at home with the inspirational cooking of his Filipino mother and Thai father. Spending summers in the Philippines throughout high school furthered his interest in the culinary world and instilled the importance of community and culture. His experiences there introduced him to a celebratory, engaging style of dining, that has greatly shaped his own cooking.
Chef King received his formal culinary education from the esteemed Culinary Institute of America, and graduated in 1998. He was elected group leader of his class and graduated dean’s list.

Chef King went on to train under Daniel Boulud at Restaurant Daniel and David Bouley at Bouley Bakery and the Danube where he sharpened his classical training and knowledge of the craft. Other New York kitchens where Chef King has worked include: Jean-Georges, The Grocery, and Cendrillon. He was co-executive chef at Beekman Kitchen in New York and executive chef at Fatapples in El Cerrito, California before venturing on his own. Since opening Kuma Inn, Chef King along with long time friend and colleague Soulayphet Schwader opened Talay in West Harlem in May 2008. Ready to tackle a new project, Chef King and Co-Chef Soulayphet have moved on to Clinton Hill, Brooklyn to open Umi Nom restaurant.

Chef King has always been involved with food, music and the environment. Prior to pursuing his culinary career, Chef King was an energy engineer involved in a weatherization program that made New York City a greener place to live. He also used to Dj weekly at clubs in New York and Berlin. He is also an avid guitar player jamming with a local latin jazz band in Brooklyn whenever he has the time.

In May of 2003, the chef opened Kuma Inn on the second floor of a Lower East Side tenement in New York. Chef King brings all his experiences together, including the flavors he grew up with, to the community dining style from the Philippines, his education with some of the world’s best chefs, and exposure to the freshest ingredients to offer a unique dining experience. Within the first year, Kuma Inn was rated “one of the city’s best places to eat 2004” by New York Magazine. The New York Times wrote, “It is Filipino mama food and fantastic.” King has received numerous accolades from various premier publications.