When North Star News traveled to St. Louis for the NSPA Journalism Conference last month, we needed to sit down for a team dinner. With 3,000 students flooding the streets of the city, it was difficult to find somewhere to eat with 10 people. We ended up finding a small Thai restaurant called Aubergine Cafe on 7th Street Downtown, which one could easily miss while passing by. On the inside, however, one could never forget the delightful aroma of owner Poy Lertchaipitak’s restaurant.

A few of our team members had never had Thai food before and freshman reporter Yoni Soloveychik had no idea what to order. He ended up ordering Pad Kee Mao, a noodle dish, by recommendation of the waiter. Yoni ended up loving the food.

Toward the end of our meal, the owner of the restaurant, Poy, came out to greet our table, and Yoni told her how much he loved the meal and how it was a great experience. We ended up striking up a conversation with her about the restaurant, and she kindly brought us crab ragoons, on the house. After we finished dinner, the two of us decided to learn more about Poy, her family, and her restaurant philosophy.

Aubergine was open for three years by a different owner, before shutting down during COVID. Lertchaipitak was a personal finance professor at Olivet College in Michigan, but she left that job to pursue this opportunity to do what she loves, cooking. Lertchaipitak, a friend of the original owner, took over the restaurant about a year ago. 

Lertchaipitak is originally from Northern Thailand. She moved to the U.S. in 2010. However, moving here didn’t let her forget her roots. Her mother inspired her love for cooking. 

“My mom spent most of her day in the kitchen. She constantly cooked. She woke up very early, [going] to the fresh market in Thailand [to] buy fresh food, serve us breakfast… Then lunch… Then dinner…” Lertchaipitak said. “And I like to be with her so that’s why I also spent most of my time in the kitchen with her when I was young as well.”

Lertchaipitak runs the restaurant with her family, her husband being the main chef. Her six-year-old daughter also spends a lot of time at the restaurant, hanging out behind the counter.

Although the restaurant is quite the busy spot in St. Louis, Lertchaipitak is still figuring things out, as she is new to the restaurant industry.

“I don’t have any background, doing the restaurant before. This is totally new to me. So many excitements, so many questions, so many new things that I have to learn each day,” Lertchaipitak said. “But I still [am] having fun doing the restaurant, even though it’s very challenging, it’s a good challenge to be.” 

Lertchaipitak serves many people in St. Louis, and her favorite part of the job introducing new foods to people.

“I try to…make Thai food more easy to accept. I want to get into the younger generation and introduce a food because many of them are afraid to try … Thai [food] is very, very common, but as a concept here, we serve Thai food with a twist.”

If there’s one thing that Lertchaipitak wants customers to walk away with, it’s the experience of having an open mind to try new things. Her restaurant is her passion and dream, and her goal is to share it with anyone who’s willing to try.

“I love teaching a lot, but I also have another dream. I would like to open a Thai restaurant and serve good Thai food for Americans…” Lertchaipitak said. “I can see many wide variety of open minded people. Open-minded people aren’t afraid to try new things, and Thai food might be a new thing for many Americans.”

Though Yoni and I both agree that the food is delicious, what really stands out about Aubergine Cafe is Poy’s dedication to her customers, always making sure that they are inspired to not be afraid of new foods.