(Chef Seng @Thip Khao. Photo: Jai Williams) At 7-years-old, Chef Seng Luangrath never imagined that the cooking skills she inherited from her grandmother and aunties at the refugee camps she went through would become award-winning staples in America, where she’s now serving Lao comfort food in the East Coast. As the Lao food addicts population rises to well-deserved acclaim, Chef Seng Luangrath of Washington D.C. has been hailed as one of the pioneers of the #LaoFoodMovement, blazing the path with her savory introduction to Lao cuisine to the masses. After reviving an empty Thai restaurant called Bangkok Golden in Washington D.C. in 2010 and steadily inserting Lao dishes to the menu, Thip Khao was born and the rave reviews of her award-winning food hasn’t stopped since. The latest on Chef Seng’s repertoire is her recent nomination for the prestigious James Beard award, where she’s a semifinalist in the “Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic” category. This is a first for a Lao women chef. We got a chance to chat with Chef Seng about her reactions to the high honor, her …