SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
One of Yellowknife's popular food trucks will be featured in a high profile national magazine this spring.
Sousanh Chanthalangsy, left, owner of One of a Thai, and her cousin Laura Chantharangsri display one of One of a Thai's top sellers, Pad Thai. The local restaurant and food truck vendor will be featured in a May 2013 edition of Canadian Living, in a feature on Canada's most unique food trucks. - Lyndsay Herman/NNSL photo
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One of a Thai was contacted by Canadian Living Magazine last week to ask if the local culinary attraction would be interested in being a part of a feature on Canada's most unique food trucks.
"I was like, 'Oh my god!" said Sousanh Chanthalangsy, One of a Thai's owner. "I replied right away and said I would be honoured."
One of a Thai, which operates out of the Yellowknife Curling Rink during the winter, was nominated by fans through Facebook and Twitter.
Chanthalangsy said she doesn't know who nominated the food truck, but is very grateful to whomever it was.
"It's pretty amazing that somebody really went above and beyond and did that for us," she said. "I didn't even know (the contest) was going on."
One of a Thai started as a project Chanthalangsy completed for a business course she took in town. She said she knew even then she wanted to run a small business and thought about centring a small restaurant around her mother's authentic Thai cooking.
"After I graduated high school I told my mom, 'One day, we're going to launch your food, whether it's in a restaurant or some other business, it's going to be out there," said Chanthalangsy.
"My mom is the main chef, she does all of the main cooking, she knows all of the main recipes. She taught me everything I know," she said.
Chanthalangsy said her class raved about the Pad Thai dish she brought into class as part of her project presentation and one of her classmates suggested she try serving some dishes at the upcoming Folk on the Rocks festival.
After running a food stand at the festival, Chanthalangsy got a catering request for a 40 to 50 person retirement party and from there, One of a Thai caught on in Yellowknife like wildfire.
One of a Thai launched the curling club location in February 2011. Customers lined up for the first dinner service, said Chanthalangsy.
When the curling season was nearing its close, Chanthalangsy decided to look for another approach and found a food truck in British Columbia that looked promising.
The truck made it to town in March 2011 and was serving the streets of Yellowknife by May.
"It was all bam, bam, bam," said Chanthalangsy, laughing. "It happened really fast."
This season, Chanthalangsy said she has her eye on a new, more manoeuvrable food truck from California and is considering selling the current trailer.
However, the road trip would need to work around her upcoming wedding in Cuba this April.
"It's unreal," Chanthalangsy says of the year ahead. "It's all been overwhelming."
