Tiger Keopraphay

My journey began at my father's restaurant in Washington DC, washing dishes like any good son. I soon ran away from the “family business” and any part of the industry that came with it. Pursuing a career in Muay Thai, also known as Thai Kickboxing. Anything to get away from a hot kitchen and not to be the stereotypical minority, a little self-hatred will go a long way in your 20s. I found success in my newfound career quickly becoming a professional prize fighter with a decent record and earning the coolest ring name ever “THE TIGER”. However, getting punched in the head doesn't lend to a large paycheck, I still found myself cooking during the week. Caught between worlds and a stack of medical bills, I made the decision to hang up the gloves. Cooking was the only thing that held my interest outside of fighting, so it was time to set out on my own culinary adventure, leading me to pursue formal culinary education at The Art Institute of Washington. I soon realized the traditional structure of school wasn’t for me, abandoning it to learn hands on at the mercy of some of the finest restaurants.

Starting afresh, I embarked on my own dreams of sushi at the renowned Morimoto in Philadelphia. Wanting to broaden my skills I expanded to working and training at Vetri, Graffiato & Uchiko, which eventually, lead me to embrace a nomadic lifestyle, traveling the east coast, organizing pop-up sushi nights, conducting cooking classes, and even jumping into culinary roles such as waterman, fishmonger, and whole animal butcher.

Years later as I came to settle in my new home of Longmont, I decided to take a chance at starting a new business but of course life had plans of its own. The Covid pandemic posed new challenges of what future dining may look like, pivoting me to launch a food delivery service called Tiger & Wife. As the world settle into its new “normalcy”, and my life falling apart, I noticed the lack of a third space we all long for and needed. The sense of community that so many places preached about easily washed away to improve new profit margins or just failed to exist anymore. Which gave way to rebranding to Rising Tiger, a neighborhood diner focused on American classics spike with bold Asian-ISH flavors. We shot our shot in 2023 landing us participants in the Boulder County Longmont Farmers Market, the community has welcomed me with open arms and full stomachs. I cannot express the gratitude have; I am excited to establish a permanent location where I can contribute to diversity, culture, and become a cornerstone of the community.

Thanks for taking this wild ride with me.