Nisachon Morgan, Chef at Saap in Randolph, Is James Beard Semi-Finalist

Nisachon Morgan, chef at Saap Restaurant in Randolph, Vermont, is a semi-finalist in the prestigious James Beard Awards. Yesterday, she was nominated for Best Chef in the Northeast.

Saap Restaurant, at the end of Randolph Avenue, shares the historic and rambling Kimball House with an arts center. It offers a menu inspired by Morgan’s original home in the Isaan region of Northern Thailand.

On Saap’s website: “She [Morgan] has a deep commitment to creating uncompromising, excellent food with persistent attention to detail. Many of her recipes were passed down from family members, and are steeped in tradition as well as uniquely regional and seasonal ingredients.”

My review of Saap has been lost in the 2018 archives of the DailyUV, but be assured, lunch there (twice!) was delicious, and featured Thai dishes that I had never before encountered. Morgan’s husband Steve was handling the front of the house and was happy to explain the less than familiar menu items.

Other Vermonters on the James Beard semi-finalist list include chef Christian Kruse from Black Flannel Brewing Company in Essex Junction. Cafe Mamajuana in Burlington has been nominated for best new restaurant.

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And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.