James Syhabout is an American chef of Thai and Laotian descent who is best known as the chef-owner of Commis in Oakland, California, which became the first and only Michelin-starred restaurant in Oakland. He is also the owner of Hawker Fare, a more casual concept drawing on his Southeast Asian heritage. He co-authored the cookbook 'Hawker Fare: Stories & Recipes from a Refugee Chef's Isan Thai & Lao Roots' (2018) with Jon Kauffman, which explores the food traditions of his family's homeland. His culinary style bridges fine dining European techniques with the bold, rustic flavors of Isan Thai and Lao cooking.