Ma Der in OKC makes New York Times top 50 list after also making Bon Appetit top 50

Another week, another national citation for chef Jeff Chanchaleune's Ma Der Lao Kitchen.

On Monday, The New York Times released its list of the Top 50 new restaurants for 2022 in America and it, like the Bon Appetit Top 50 from last week, included Ma Der.

"We're so honored to make such a prestigious list," Chanchaleune said. "These accolades for Ma Der mean so much. It's personal for my family and me, but none of this could've happened if we didn't have a staff who rallied around the idea of Ma Der to help get it out to the public and educate them about Lao cuisine."

More:OKC restaurant makes Bon Appetit list of best new restaurants in the country

Located in the Plaza District, Ma Der opened last fall featuring the cuisine of Laos. Chanchaleune's family fled Laos to come to the United States before he was born in Oklahoma City. The 37-year-old chef grew up here, working in kitchens like Sushi Neko before chasing a career in digital design at one point. Thankfully for the 405 diningscape, he returned to the kitchen and has been elevating local fare ever since.

Ma Der now has made two prestigious lists in two weeks, but national attention isn't new for chef Chanchaleune, who earned a Best Chef Southwest nomination from the James Beard Foundation back in 2019 for his work at Goro Ramen and Izakaya.

The 2020 Award Show was canceled by the pandemic, but Chanchaleune has got to hope Ma Der landing on two lists that prestigious will garner another.

More:Downtown gets a patisserie with the opening of The Gilded Acorn in the First National Center

"Maybe!" he texted in response to whether he thought it was possible.

Ma Der is open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Saturday.

Last year, Oklahoma received more James Beard nominations than ever before, including a nods for Oklahoma City chefs Andrew Black and Zach Hutton of Scratch Paseo.