# Chef Interview: Nik Ramirez of Na Na Thai - Made In

Chef Nik Ramirez of Na Na Thai shares the dish that tastes like home, the surprising path from soccer to the kitchen, and the one tool he can’t cook without.

A former pro soccer player turned chef, Chef Nik Ramirez of [Na Na Thai](https://www.nanathaisyv.com/) in Buellton, CA shares how structured meals sparked a love for cooking, why he dreams of digging up dinner, and how Made In’s Carbon Steel Wok helps bring wok hei to life on the line.

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## What's a dish that tastes like home?

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Steamed artichoke with drawn butter and rice pudding with extra cinnamon.



## If you could open a novel restaurant concept that was guaranteed to be successful, what would it be?

Fast casual Hawaiian style Imu restaurant, everything is cooked underground. You order, then you see the server run out back and dig up your order.



## When did you know you wanted to be a cook for the rest of your life?

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It's crazy, playing professional soccer led me to find a love for cooking. One passion led me to the next, after about a year of scheduled and regimented meals, pure boredom ignited a fire within me to start cooking my own food. It started with cooking dinners at home and then when I joined culinary school I knew I would do this for the rest of my life.



## What's the best meal you have had recently?

The wet burger from Coast Range.



## What chefs inspire you?

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Prin Polsuk, Dimitrios Moudios and Garima Arora.



## If you could add one thing to your menu that doesn't make sense but you love making, what would it be?

Tacos or pasta.



## Which piece of Made In cookware do you reach for most?

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The [Carbon Steel Wok](https://madeincookware.com/products/carbon-steel-wok/13-inch).



## What do you expect out of your cookware?

Chef minded design, high performance and durability.



## How important is having good kitchen tools?

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A good cook can make something delicious on a hot rock. Although, the increase in the quality of tools directly correlates to the increase in imagination and creativity.



## What's one way you use Made In Cookware to finish a favorite dish on the menu?

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```

We use the [Carbon Steel Wok](https://madeincookware.com/products/carbon-steel-wok/13-inch) to give our dishes that special smoky essence called wok hei.



---
URL: https://madeincookware.com/blogs/chef-interview-nik-ramirez