Pam Liberda
Executive Chef
Chef Pam Liberda, Executive Chef and co-founder of Buck Tui BBQ, cooks from who she is and where she comes from. Born in Lampang in Northern Thailand, she learned early that food is culture, connection, and comfort , lessons that still shape her kitchen today.
At Buck Tui BBQ, Pam's blending the bold flavors of her heritage with the city’s beloved barbecue traditions. Her signature curry with smoked brisket burnt ends has since become a defining dish, capturing her style: soulful, surprising, and deeply personal.
Before Buck Tui, Pam led the kitchen at Waldo Thai in Kansas City, Missouri where her talent earned major recognition including 2021 Chef of the Year by Feast Magazine, 2022 Best Chef Kansas City by The Pitch, and a 2023 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest.
Pam has cooked for festivals, charity dinners, and community events, using food as a way to give back as much as she serves. Her popular Thai Tuesday menus showcase dishes rarely seen in the Midwest, offering guests a taste of home for her and something new for everyone else.
Guided by authenticity, curiosity, and hospitality, Chef Pam hopes her cooking tells a story. One where smoke, spice, culture, and heart come together in a way that feels warm, memorable, and uniquely her own.