Thai Food, Identity & Bold Snacking: The Lert Sisters of Party Of | AAPI Heritage Month

intro & answers by The Lert Sisters (Lisa, Lita, Charlene, Charlie), Founders of Party Of

questions by Tina Alhani, HHM Chief of Staff 

Party Of is a snack brand founded by four Thai-American sisters who love bold flavor and the unexpected. Raised between cultures, we grew up around our mom’s Thai restaurants while also loving the everyday snacks we found in the U.S. That mix continues to shape how we think about food, flavor, and identity. Through Party Of, we create better, bolder snacks that feel surprisingly familiar, wildly craveable, and joyfully complex.

 

Food has always been one of the strongest ways we connect to culture, family, and memory. Growing up around our mom’s Thai restaurants shaped our palate and the way we think about food as both comfort and discovery.

 

How did you choose your current flavor selection?

Thai Chili Lime is our all-time favorite flavor profile — it’s bright, punchy, and instantly addictive. Pad Thai felt like the perfect bridge flavor for us. It’s iconic, widely loved, and gives people a familiar entry point into Thai cuisine, while still showcasing the depth and complexity we grew up with.

What common misconceptions do people have about Thai food, and how do you hope to change those?

A lot of people think Thai food is just takeout or overly sweet, but it’s actually incredibly nuanced. It’s about balance — sweet, sour, salty, spicy — all working together in one bite. We want people to see Thai food as something that can be elevated, thoughtful, and deeply layered, while still being approachable and fun.

What were your favorite dishes growing up?

We grew up around our family’s Thai restaurants, so food was always at the center of everything. Our unanimous favorite dish was ka prao with a fried egg — we could eat it all day, every day. It’s simple but so satisfying, and it really represents the kind of bold, comforting flavors we love.

What are the challenges of translating a dish into a snack?

The hardest part is capturing the feeling of a dish, not just the ingredients. A great dish carries memory, warmth, and excitement — and a snack has to deliver that in one bite. It has to be craveable, balanced, and fun, while still honoring the original inspiration.

How do you think about your roles as founders representing a culture through food?

We think about it with a lot of intention and pride. We’re not trying to speak for all Thai people or all Asian Americans — we’re sharing our story as Thai-American sisters. Party Of is our way of honoring where we come from, while also making Thai flavors more accessible and visible in everyday spaces.

If someone is discovering Thai food for the first time, what do you hope they understand beyond the flavor?

In Thai culture, food is love — it’s how we celebrate, connect, and take care of one another. Even the way we check in on people reflects that: the direct translation of “how are you?” in Thai is essentially “have you eaten yet?” Beyond the flavor, we hope people feel that sense of warmth and care — that food can be emotional, communal, and deeply meaningful. 

What do you want people to feel when they try Party Of?

We want it to feel like a discovery: craveable, unexpected, and something you keep coming back to.More than anything, we want people to feel like they can snack freely, with a sense of joy and abandon and experience a piece of that celebratory, cross-cultural feeling with us.  

In Thai culture, food is a form of celebration, so we built a brand that carries that energy.  Party Of is our way of sharing that energy: vibrant, joyful, rooted in where we come from, and meant to be enjoyed without holding back.