Nong was born in Bangkok, Thailand. Nong's mother taught her, from the time she was a littlegirl, to cook in traditional Thai-style, focusing on quality ingredients crafted from scratch. Nong came to Portland in 2003 with two suitcases and $70 to pursue her dream. After honing her skills at local Thai restaurants, such as Pok Pok, Nong opened Nong's Khao Man Gai food cart in 2009 and quickly received substantial international attention and critical acclaim.