Samantha Fore, the owner and chef of Tuk Tuk, a popular Sri Lankan pop-up and restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky, has made a remarkable journey in the culinary industry. Despite lacking any formal training or experience, she started as a website designer for high-end restaurants, which eventually led her to learn about food through tasting and observing. Her talent and passion for cooking earned her invitations to cook at prestigious kitchens across the country and endorsements from renowned chef Padma Lakshmi. Through her culinary journey, Fore has become a champion for diversity and equality in the restaurant industry.
Fore’s story is rooted in her upbringing as an immigrant, a female, a person of color, and an inexperienced chef who embraced a non-traditional approach to entering the industry. Born in Kentucky and raised in North Carolina, her exposure to food was limited while working in the advertising industry in Boston. However, everything changed when she responded to a job posting by James Beard Award-winning chef Jamie Bissonnette on Twitter. Offering her website designing services in exchange for a meal at his restaurant, Fore received a culinary education through tasting and observing Bissonnette’s creations.
Inspired by her Sri Lankan heritage and incorporating the cooking techniques she learned from her clients, Fore began cooking Sri Lankan food and incorporating local Southern produce. What started as dinners with friends quickly evolved into packed brunches at home, and eventually, a successful pop-up restaurant called Sri Lankan Bites. Despite her lack of practical experience in a professional kitchen or running a restaurant, Fore took a low-risk approach by investing only $572 in equipment for a temporary food establishment.
Word about Fore’s delicious Sri Lankan cuisine spread quickly, and within six months, she found herself cooking as a guest chef at professional kitchens alongside highly respected chefs, even at prestigious events like the Kentucky Derby. However, earning the respect of her colleagues in the kitchen was initially challenging. Some questioned her legitimacy as a chef due to her lack of culinary school training or professional kitchen experience. She faced sabotage, criticism, and moments where being mistaken for a dishwasher seemed more believable than being a chef. Yet, with relentless determination, Fore proved her worth and continuously pushed herself to succeed.
For Fore, her food is more than just a culinary expression; it’s a way to seek acceptance and challenge negative perceptions of her Sri Lankan heritage. As a first-generation Sri Lankan raised in the Southeast, she has often felt alone and misunderstood. Through her cooking, she aims to represent her community and redefine her identity as a brown chef in the South, a Sri Lankan Southerner. Fore believes that the restaurant industry should be a place where communities are fostered, where people are heard and respected, and where diversity is valued.
In addition to running Tuk Tuk, Fore is involved in various initiatives that promote inclusivity and support individuals in the culinary industry. She works with chefs who have experienced burnout or abuse in the workplace, striving to help them rediscover their passion for cooking. Moreover, she teaches a sociology of cuisine course at the University of Kentucky, alongside Keiko Tanaka, highlighting the role of food in different cultures and advocating for inclusivity in the culinary world.
Fore’s message to the culinary industry is clear: open your hearts, minds, and kitchens to diversity. By recognizing and appreciating our shared experiences and embracing inclusivity, the industry can build better, more expansive businesses that celebrate the cultural identities of all individuals.
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