Impeccably dressed women jotted notes as the chef worked steadily, his lovely assistant (and wife) anticipating his every move with a minimum of back and forth conversation. 

Together Chef Lim Po Ahn of Wild Orchid on Sixth Avenue and his wife demonstrated, and created, four dishes and a dessert for those present at the Taste of Asia Thailand cooking demonstration presented by the Asia Pacific Cultural Center in Tacoma: Galanga Chicken Soup, Thai Beef Salad, Green Curry Chicken, Pineapple fried rice, and Coconut Fried Banana. The foods created had the perfect blends of exotic flavors like galanga root, lemongrass, coconut milk, and fish sauce; the steak salad had me at “hello” with its bright fresh flavors,  and is probably going to become my new Friday lunch favorite, although even the green curry chicken and galanga soups had me “mmmm-ing” out loud.

What I liked most about the presentation and subsequent lunch, though, was the conversation afterward; introductions were made and the chef spoke of his background â€" he’s half Chinese, half Lao, and spent a large chunk of time in France, before discovering the northwest, where he met his wife when she applied to his restaurant to cook for him.

He explained his values: attending temple so his daughter can learn from the monks there even when she won’t listen to her parents (the little girl is two), working for living rather than living for work (you work for a” good quality life,” he said, warning of becoming consumed by success), traveling to see family (“you have to take care of your parents.”)

His last statement received nods all around, “You have to learn to understand each other,” he advised.

The Ahns were at the Korean Womens’ Association building (123 East 96th St) through the efforts of Patsy Surh O’Connell and Amy Sie, who dreamed up the idea of bringing together various Asian cultures and learning them more deeply through through learning to cook their foods; the series will continue for five more weeks and teach Korean, Chinese, Indian, Japanese and Filipino cuisine.  Each class is $50, and is limited to 15 people.  Sign up at the APCC Web site. â€" Jessica Corey-Butler