Today we’d like to introduce you to Kurt Kaiser.
Hi Kurt, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We are Kurt and Kimberly, of flipsideasia… We are siblings who both have spent years living in various parts of Asia. We have always liked to cook, but living in Asia made us even more interested in different flavors and cultures. When Kurt would come to visit, we would mess around in the kitchen, and try to duplicate our favorite dishes. I also had no problem going back into a few restaurant kitchens and asking to watch the chefs make the dishes.
My Thai friends helped me to perfect some of the items, as we cooked with them often. When covid hit and Kurt came back to the States from his job in Vietnam, we began trying out recipes for our family and friends. People began asking us for food, and one thing led to another. Next thing you know, we are cooking in a commercial kitchen, delivering our curries and dishes to neighborhoods, hosting spring roll parties, and stocking curry in local stores. This summer we have been experimenting in a few farmer’s markets. The next step for us would be a food truck/trailer, which we are looking into.
Our dishes are made fresh weekly (sometimes daily) and frozen to sell at the farmer’s markets. That way, people can just take them home and reheat them. We pride ourselves on using only the freshest ingredients, and we try to get an authentic taste as much as possible. We don’t compromise when it comes to ingredients. It must be Thai coconut milk and fresh local herbs. We also try to make the dishes approachable for everyone.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There is virtually no road to success without an obstacle, in my opinion. Yes, there have been obstacles. Some we are still facing. We learned which vendors we could work with, and who we can depend on. Communication is always key.
In this part of the country, there are legalities with USDA and Dept of Agriculture, and we have had to learn which one is responsible for which situation and work with them to make sure we follow all the rules.
A big obstacle in this part of the world is that we hear, “Oh I don’t like curry,” Often it can be someone who has never tasted a Thai curry, that just had a bad experience in the past. It is hard to change minds sometimes.
We learned that tofu is delicious if you use it in a fresh curry or soup for a dinner party, but frozen it turns to mush.
Each week we experiment with different dishes, so there is always something to learn.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are a catering company that specializes in Asian dishes. Our slogan is “Asian Flavors, Memphis Made.” Since both of us were born in Memphis, it is funny that people see us and think how can these people know anything about Asian food? But once they taste it, they understand.
Our signature dish would have to be the Thai lettuce wraps. (Laab Namtok) It is minced pork with Thai spiciness, and we add some red and yellow peppers and onions. Thai curries are also gaining popularity because they are made with coconut milk, which makes them gluten-free.
I think what sets us apart is the ability to provide authentic Asian flavors that are approachable and made with only the freshest ingredients. If the carrots don’t look good one week, they will not be in the cold sesame noodle salad. The key elements (like our house-made sesame tahini dressing) will be the same, but if bok choy looks fresh, it may make an appearance somewhere.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think we are both risk-takers. There is no way we would be in this business if we weren’t!!
Risk is an important part of life. If you aren’t learning, then you are simply existing. (Someone famous said that, but I’m sure I said it wrong). I think anytime you change your entire career, it is taking a risk. Anytime you move from one country to another, there are always risks involved.
Anytime you decide to go into business with your brother, that is also quite risky! So far, we have found that we complement each other and we have a lot of fun doing this. When it’s not fun anymore, we won’t do it.
Pricing:
- $12-20 per dish
- Dinner parties- depends on how many dishes you order.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://flipsideasia.com/
- Instagram: @flipsideasia
- Facebook: @flipsideAsia
