Pete was born in Bangkok, Thailand and moved to Georgia when he was 8 years old, when his dad took a job as a chef at the Ritz Carlton on Lake Oconee. He lived and went to school in Madison, Georgia where he graduated from Morgan County High. Pete attended the University of Georgia, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources, Recreation and Tourism. Pete developed a love for food and learned to cook from his parents and other family members. After college, Pete worked as a cook at Seabear Oyster Bar, and has “staged” in restaurants in Louisiana and California. Pete is the co-founder with his partner Ally Smith of Pet Pet Spicy spice blends, which are now sold all over the U.S. and online at petpetspicy.com. He is also co-founder of the pop-up The Side Hustle with Ally and friends Kenny Nguyen, John Grubek and Maddie Bilderback, which has brought fun food and drink experiences to local establishments, and also donated over $10,000 to aid groups and nonprofits. Pete and Ally’s restaurant Puma Yu’s will be opening this spring in the Southern Mill building, with Pete serving as the Executive Chef. Puma Yu’s will feature natural wines and cocktails, and food showcasing Southeast Asian cuisines. Pete lives in Normaltown with partner, Ally and rescue pup, Papaya.
What is your favorite part of your job?
When I was young, I was super into art. I loved drawing, playing with clay and all that kind of stuff. So, cooking is really just a vessel for creativity. I think that is definitely the aspect I loved first. I like to consider myself as part artist and then the food is the vessel. The other part that I really like about it also is the mechanical side of it. I love just timing things out, doing things in specific order. It is kind of like you get to train and when the service comes, you really just get to relax and do what you are supposed to do at the time and do it the right way and the food just comes out looking good. I grew up playing sports also so it is almost like a sport to me the actual cooking part and the art part of it is coming up with the food. I played team sports so I like being aligned with other people and working and communicating for the same goal of getting food out of the window.
When you are not working, what are some of your favorite things to do in Athens?
In Athens, I eat a lot obviously because it is part of the job. Other than that, I like playing with my dog, hanging out at my house because we just moved in so I am learning a bunch of home improvement stuff. We live in a great neighborhood so we walk a lot with Papaya. I like getting to know my neighbors and seeing what is happening. I am a pretty big homebody these days. I used to like to go out a lot, but I am really just at home a lot now.
If you could see any band or show, dead or alive, anywhere, who would you see and where?
If I could do any concert it would be to see Sade or Stevie Wonder. Their energies are so amazing, plus seeing Stevie play the harmonica would literally melt my brain.
If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?
My advice would probably be to not be in Athens for as long as I have been, which is not to say that I wouldn’t want to come back. I lived in New Orleans this summer and I really wish that I could have done that for at least a year or two. I went to Oakland and that was really cool and I wish I could have done that for a year or two. In saying that, I wouldn’t be in the position that I am in right now, which is very, very lucky for me. I have a great partner, I have a great dog and I have this really incredible opportunity to open up a business in a town that I really love. So, I am not sure if I were to move around when I was younger, I would be in this position, you know? Who knows, I might not even be a cook. I hopefully would be but I don’t know. I wish I would have known that I wanted to cook at a younger age and focused on that a little more, and concentrated on it. It is so backwards, I mean you never tell young people you need to figure out what you should be doing, but at the same time I think that I really admire people and cultures who know what they are going to do at a young age and fully commit and surrender everything they have to a craft. I really admire them.
Do you have a favorite book or a book you find your rereading, referencing or gifting most often?
I am really not a big reader. Let’s backtrack. If I did have advice for my younger self, I would say read a lot of books.
Do you have a favorite movie?
I think I go back and forth. I am really more into directors and actors. So, any Denzel Washington movie I will sit down and watch no matter what. Any Al Pacino I will sit down. The Godfather and The Godfather 2 are really up there for me as my favorites. At the same time, I just saw Heat the other day and it is a classic instantly. I like suspense. I like crime and a movie that really, really grips you. I like sitting down and watching a two and a half hour movie and not even thinking about getting up.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I have two places. One, is Paris because I have never been and I worked in this place Saint-Germain while I was in New Orleans and it is a modern Parisian food and it really inspired me. When I was at Snail Bar in Oakland, I learned local Californian techniques but also modern french techniques. I just really admire both of those places and really want to know where the origin came from and where the inspiration came from. My other place is Thailand because I haven’t been back since I left, which is crazy because my grandparents are all passing away and I only have one left so it would be a huge bummer for me to not get to see my grandma before she passes away. I was supposed to go last year and the year before but, you know, Covid and it keeps getting canceled. I would like to see where I come from. I left when I was eight and my Thai is horrible and the oldest memory I have from Thailand is from an eight year old perspective. I would like to go back and see how it is as a tourist and an adult.
What is something interesting about you that maybe most people don’t know?
I am a pretty open book. This is not that interesting but I love Survivor. I am a huge Survivor fan. I think one of my dreams would be to be on that show. I think I could do really well. I think I could keep my cool when everybody is freaking out. Of course I say that now while I am home and going to get a good night’s sleep.
If you could have lunch with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and where?
I think I would pick my great grandfather, my dad’s grandpa. My whole life my dad has been like you look just like him and he was like the coolest person ever and he treated people really well. My dad is really cool too. I think his grandpa was really responsible for that and because of the fact that I really remind my dad of him I would like to see who that person is. He is also the person who immigrated from China down to Thailand so I am a third Chinese. Both my mom’s side has Chinese and my dad’s side has Chinese. They immigrated down from China to Thailand and my great grandfather is the one that did that so I think that would be really cool to talk about. A lunch spot in Vietnam at some street side noodle shop sounds good.
Is there something you would like to do on your bucket list?
Obviously, traveling is a big thing. I am more about needing to see all of these places before I die. But, I guess I have one, it is to be a ceramicist. That is one of my main bucket list things. I have this dream for when I am done with restaurants, I am going to get a kiln and make some plates and bowls.
What three words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word “home?”
Warm is my big one. I am cozy. If you come to my house you will probably stay for a while because we just kind of lounge and really, really kick back. I think warm, cozy and lounging. It is really my place for relaxation so that is really a big one for me. Just being able to come to my house and relax and chill and at the same time I want it to be inviting because I love people coming over and I love sharing the very intimate space that I have with other people that I love. So I would say: warm, relaxing and inviting.
