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Bao and Beyond owners Pear Nalaphas and Trever Cherette opened their Augusta restaurant in October, bringing more than a decade of experience in the food industry with them and a long-time goal of creating something of their own. 

Before opening their brick-and-mortar location at 1 Hichborn St., Nalaphas and Cherette owned a food truck, where they built a loyal customer base that has continued to support them in their new space. Since opening, the restaurant has drawn in both returning customers and new faces, offering them a menu that is centered around bao buns and globally inspired dishes.

For Nalaphas and Cherette the focus goes beyond serving food, it’s about sharing flavors and cultures that have helped shape their cooking, while also creating an experience that feels both approachable and exciting for the local community. 

Q: What made you decide to open Bao & Beyond?

A: We’ve always been passionate about food, and we’ve both worked in the restaurant industry for over a decade. That passion kept growing and eventually turned into a life goal for us. Bao & Beyond is really the combination of our experience, our love for food, and our desire to share the flavors and cultures that inspire us.

Q: Since opening, how has the community’s response been so far?

A: Incredibly welcoming — we operated the food truck for about five years before opening the restaurant, so we were lucky to start with a loyal base of customers. At the same time, we’ve met so many new people since opening our brick-and-mortar location. Seeing new faces come in and try our food for the first time is honestly one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.

Q: What is one menu item you would recommend to someone trying Bao & Beyond for the first time?

A: A visit to the restaurant isn’t complete without trying a bao bun — we offer five different options, and they’re definitely a signature for us. That said, we take pride in every item on the menu. From our house-made togarashi seasoning that we use on our fries to one of our most wholesome vegan dishes, the Local Mushroom & Mapo Tofu, every dish reflects the flavors and creativity we love to cook with.

Q: What makes Bao & Beyond different from other restaurants in the area?

A: It’s all about attention to detail. Every ingredient, every drink and every plate matters. We have a strong mission to share and celebrate cultures that many people here may not be familiar with, and to introduce those flavors in a way that’s approachable and exciting.

Q: Have there been any surprises since opening?

A: One of the biggest challenges was unexpected construction work that delayed our opening. Since then, it’s been a constant learning process — for us and for our staff.

Q: What do you hope customers experience?

A: Something that feels both exciting and enjoyable. Trying new food can sometimes feel unfamiliar, but we love showing people that the unknown can actually be really fun and delicious. When someone leaves happier than when they walked in, that means everything to us. We like to think we cook a little outside the box — so our guests can enjoy eating outside the box too.

Q: What’s next for the restaurant — any new menu items or plans you’re excited about?

A: Right now, we’re very excited because we’re about to host our first multi-course dinner experience. It’s a Sake & Small Plate Experience featuring five courses, four curated sake pairings, and one signature sake cocktail. During the dinner, we’ll talk about each dish and the sake it’s paired with. It’s a fun way for us to showcase food, culture and storytelling in a more intimate setting. We hope this will be the first of many special dining experiences to come at Bao & Beyond