A Meaningful Statement Necklace for James Beard Finalist, Nok Suntaranon

In the restaurant industry, a nod from the James Beard Foundation is a big deal. And just recently, my good friend, Nok Suntaranon, owner of Kalaya, one of Philadelphia’s buzziest restaurants, earned just that as a finalist for Best Chef, Midatlantic. 

Nok asked me to help her with her outfit for the upcoming awards event. 

Obviously, I said yes.

There were two main considerations. First, Nok calls both Thailand and Philadelphia home. To represent her Thai roots, her red carpet-ready dress is from Oat Martin, Bangkok’s insider secret for VIP couture. And to represent Philly, she thought of us!

Second, we wanted to capture the warm, welcoming sense of hospitality that is at the heart of Kayala. 

With those elements in mind, I suggested a custom piece from our Grand Hotels collection. It features big, sparkling chandelier crystals from the Plaza Hotel, a strand of unique square baroque pearls, and a collection of vintage gold-plated keys. We’re both in love with it—particularly the playful surprise on the back. As a complementary earring, we chose these At the Waldorf Mirrored Drops.

Pics below! 

PS - Good luck getting reservations at Kayala. Though I might be able to put in a good word for you…