In life, our best-laid plans often take unexpected turns, leading us down paths we never imagined. Such is the case for Pam Liberda, head chef and owner of Waldo Thai. Pam has single-handedly introduced a new world of Thai cuisine to Kansas City and is on the list of who’s who among chefs.

The James Beard Foundation Award Semi-finalist once planned to pursue a doctorate degree and teach nursing. However, after marrying her husband, Ted Liberda, Pam’s career path shifted. At the time, the Liberda family owned the Thai Place restaurant chain. “The original Thai Place was started by (Ted’s) mother,” Pam said. “She is what I would call the legend of Thai food in Kansas City. I married into the business and into the family and we started working in the restaurant together.”

Thai Place has since changed ownership. However, the Liberda’s Thai Place menu featured Americanized Thai fare. While Kansas City locals embraced the food, Pam yearned for the tastes of Lampang, Northern Thailand, where she grew up. “I would ask (Ted) if I could serve the food that I grew up eating,” she said. “After we finished our shift, we would always cook different things to eat instead of what we were serving.” This led Pam to wonder, “Why don’t we serve what we eat?” 

In 2018, Pam opened Waldo Thai. Despite reservations about how the food would be received, she introduced meals from Lampang, featuring Lanna cuisine. The menu includes farm fresh ingredients and a medley of bouquets from spicy and sweet to tangy and ambrosial. For example, on a Lanna platter, many dishes are artfully presented on a round, tiered wooden tray. The platter features curries, meats, fried fare, spicy chili dips, rice, and relishes served with fresh vegetables and pork rinds. “You never know what new flavor will become your favorite – the one that sticks with you and that you crave later in life,” Pam said. 

Today, Chef Pam has attracted a local following who crave her thoughtfully crafted meals. However, in earlier years, it wasn’t so easy. As expected, patrons initially took exception with the menu. “People loved (Thai Place) and were asking for the things we used to serve, and we said, ‘No, we don’t have it, and this is what I’m serving now.’ “ This led some disgruntled customers to speculate the restaurant wouldn’t be in business for another six months. While the transition period proved difficult, Pam was determined to educate people about Thai food. 

“There’s more to Thai food than just Pad Thai, red curry, and spring rolls,” she said. “And even in Thailand, with the Pad Thai alone, we cook a totally different flavor.” For instance, each home cook in Thailand makes Pad Thai to suit their tastes. Pam’s grandmother had her own take on the dish. She would make a pot of Pad Thai and sell it every night from a little stall in front of her house. Despite her grandmother’s food foray, Pam was not allowed to cook growing up. With her good grades in school, she was expected to study and one day become a doctor. While Pam said she is no doctor, she wanted to please her parents. “They did not like it when I didn’t want to do nursing anymore,” she said, “For our culture, you do anything to make your parents proud.”

Ultimately, this is what inspired Pam to introduce Kansas City to a new world of Thai flavors. She set a goal to one day be nominated for a James Beard Award. “If I’m going to be a chef, I will be the best that I can be,” she recalled. “And I can do things that are different, push myself, and see if people can accept that.” In 2023, Pam achieved her apex ambition when she became a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation Award in the category of Best Chef. “I actually cried and told my parents, ‘This is your PhD, and I give it to you,’ ” she said. “I would say they are really proud of me for what I’ve accomplished, and proud of me for bringing the food that I grew up eating as a child to our restaurant.”

While Pam’s culinary talents have gained her considerable recognition, she is not slowing down. “Being an Asian woman, you always say, ‘What can I do better?’ ” she said. Looking ahead, Pam simply wants to set a good example for her two daughters. She gives of her time to fundraise for local charitable organizations and constantly strives to improve herself. “I want to show them that if their mother came from halfway across the world and did something that most Americans can’t do, then they can do anything in life because they are American and they have everything in their hand to make it,” she said. “My goal is to make sure they see me try my best, be my best version, and carry that on.”

Featured in the May 4, 2024 issue of The Independent.
By Monica V. Reynolds