HIGHLIGHTING THE MAKERS & MIXERS WHO BRING US TOGETHER
The Science of Sincerity: A Biochemist’s Pursuit of the Perfect Brew
Jack Benchakul & Ttaya Benchakul | Endorffeine
NHM Online Presents L.A. Culture in a Cup, a year-long initiative celebrating the stories of the diversity of Los Angeles and its people through the lens of the beverages and their significant vessels that bring us together.
Endorffeine is not your typical neighborhood coffee shop. Located in Chinatown’s Far East Plaza, it is a minimalist laboratory where the chaotic energy of Los Angeles is filtered into a singular, mindful experience. Co-founded by former biochemist Jack Benchakul and his business partner, Ttaya, Endorffeine is a study in balance. While Jack brings the analytical precision of a scientist to the brew, it is their partnership that serves as the shop's true foundation. At Endorffeine, the drink is the hero, and the process is a shared discovery between the makers and their guests.
Founded and operated by Jack Benchakul—a former biochemist and pastry chef—Endorffeine is a one-man show where science meets sensory experience
Photo Courtesy of Endorffeine
Your roots in this city run deep. How did your personal journey to Los Angeles begin?
My parents are Thai, and they moved to New York, where I was born. We moved to L.A. when I was six years old. Except for my time in San Diego for college and a stint in the Bay Area for my biotech career, I’ve pretty much been an Angeleno. While I call L.A. home, spiritually, Ttaya and I are often in Bangkok. We have made it a tradition to go back every year since we opened the shop in 2015 to stay immersed in the food culture there. It is our "spiritual homecoming" and the place where we find the inspiration we bring back to Chinatown.
Raised by parents who immigrated to the U.S. from Bangkok, Jack's childhood was saturated with Thai culture. He grew up eating traditional Thai cuisine, which later became the foundation for his signature coffee flavors.
Photo Courtesy of Jack Benchakul
In Bangkok, the best noodle vendors don't have big signs; they rely purely on the strength of their mission. We want to be that kind of discovery.
Jack Benchakul
You transitioned from a career in biotech to opening a coffee bar. How did Endorffeine start?
I was working as a biochemist, but I felt I was hitting a ceiling. My entry into the culinary world started with a food epiphany over unagi sushi in San Francisco, which shattered my ignorant notions about food and led me to culinary school. The shift to coffee happened during a stage at a patisserie when a pastry cook scolded me for trying to add cream to a coffee before tasting the foundation. That first sip revealed so much depth that I went down the rabbit hole.
But I didn't do this alone. Ttaya is my best friend and my grounding force. When I get too caught up in the "science" and the stress of the craft, her Thai sense of humor and her perspective bring me back to earth. We are a team; I handle the technical execution, but she is the one who ensures our mission remains sincere.
Photo Courtesy of Jack Benchakul
While working as a molecular biologist at the biotech giant Genentech in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jack decided to pivot into the culinary world. He enrolled in the professional pastry program at Tante Marie’s Cooking School in San Francisco (now closed).
Photo Courtesy of Jack Benchakul
Foregoing the usual cream in his coffee at the behest of a colleague, Jack noted the coffee's clarity and complexity. That was all it took to convince him that coffee could be treated with the same rigor and finesse as high-end desserts or biochemistry experiments.
Photo Courtesy of Endorffeine
By applying a precision-driven expertise to water preparation and brewing chemistry, Jack elevates coffee through a dedicated "craftsman" philosophy—where every cup is a calculated masterpiece.
The shop feels clinical, yet your signature drink is deeply personal. What drink tells the story of Endorffeine and how does it connect to your Thai heritage?
Five years ago, I would have said espresso, but now it is the Thai Tonic. It’s a progression of everything I’ve learned. Most "espresso tonics" are too acidic for me, so I craft balance by using a Kyoto cold drip that takes 20 hours to cycle. I make my own tonic water and lightly sweeten it with palm sugar and pandan essence. It embodies what I like in food: texture, aromatics trapped in a stable foam, and a silky palate.
Pandan is a foundational aromatic in Thai culture—it’s the scent of our heritage. In the shop, I shake the drink specifically to create a stable foam because, scientifically, that foam traps the aromatics. When you drink it, the pandan is the first thing you experience. It creates a bridge between our spiritual home in Bangkok and this modern space in Chinatown. It’s a sensory map of who we are.
Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County
Each step Jack takes to build his signature Thai Tonic intentionally creates a sweet, tart, and savory flavor profile. Palm sugar, provides a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness than other sugars.
Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County
The drink is a sophisticated riff on a classic espresso tonic, designed to evoke bright, tropical flavors. Jack adds makrut lime to provide a signature floral, citrus aroma common in Thai cooking.
Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County
Coffee is chemistry. Jack uses specific mineralized water for his espresso to ensure the acidity of the coffee does not clash with the bitterness of the tonic water.
Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County
At Endorffeine, precision meets physics. As Jack carefully pours, the difference in density and temperature allows the espresso to "float" and swirl into the tonic, creating a visual treat that tastes even better than it looks.
Pandan is a foundational aromatic in Thai culture—it’s the scent of our heritage... It creates a bridge between our spiritual home in Bangkok and this modern space in Chinatown.
Jack Benchakul
You often mention that your spiritual home is Bangkok. How do you bring the "vibe" of a Thai street vendor to a modern L.A. coffee bar?
It’s about sincerity and word-of-mouth. In Bangkok, the best noodle vendors don't have big signs or romantic settings; they have a singular mission and a high-quality product. People find them because they are excellent. We have very little signage at Endorffeine for the same reason—we want to be a discovery. We even keep the Thai Tonic on a "secret menu." If you are sincere with your craft, you don't need the bells and whistles; the community will find you.
Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County
Tucked away within the minimalist concrete of Chinatown’s Far East Plaza, Endorffeine’s nondescript storefront proves that the most profound culture is often hidden in plain sight.
Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County
Behind Endorffeine's quiet, glass-walled exterior lies a vibrant intersection of Thai heritage and modern craft—a reminder that in the heart of Los Angeles, the most unassuming spaces often hold the richest stories.
The journey hasn't always been easy. How did you and Ttaya navigate the "make or break" moments?
We had budgeted for four years of loss, and by 2019, we were at a crossroads. We almost called it quits. But we are persistent. When the pandemic hit, it actually forced us to pivot in a way that saved the business. We started doing home deliveries—Ttaya was right there with me, managing the logistics and the chaos of that transition. That struggle solidified our mission. It taught us that if you are sincere with your craft and your community, you can persevere through anything.
When the Covid lockdown hit and foot traffic in Chinatown’s Far East Plaza evaporated, Jack and Ttaya reinvented their distribution model. Jack hand-delivering bottled coffee to the local community. He would tote a wagon filled with chilled brews through the streets of Los Angeles, wearing a face mask and ensuring his regulars still had access to high-quality caffeine.
Photo Courtesy of Jack Benchakul
When the pandemic hit, it actually forced us to pivot in a way that saved the business...It taught us that if you are sincere with your craft and your community, you can persevere through anything.
Jack Benchakul
How does the community come together at Endorffeine, especially without the typical "coffee shop" distractions?
By removing the Wi-Fi and the laptops, we’ve created a space of mindfulness. In a city where your senses are assaulted all the time, we want people to feel present. Because we’ve built this foundation on quality, we see a lot of "fanboys" from the industry—chefs and bartenders. Community happens when a regular guest finds themselves sitting next to a professional chef and they start a conversation because there’s nothing else to distract them. I get to be a fly on the wall for those unique interactions.
In stripping away the digital noise, Jack has transformed Endorffeine’s minimalist interior into a sanctuary for mindfulness in a city that constantly assaults the senses. It’s a space where community happens organically.
Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County
What do you want Angelenos to walk away knowing?
I want them to know that culture isn't always about a romantic setting; sometimes it's about the absolute importance of the beverage itself. In Bangkok, the best noodle vendors don't have big signs; they rely purely on the strength of their mission. We want to be that kind of discovery. If you are sincere with yourself and truly believe in what you want to accomplish, you just have to persevere.
At its core, Endorffeine is more than a coffee bar. For Jack and Ttaya, it's about deepening the connection between heritage and the community that sustains it. And their innovative approach to specialty coffee has not gone unnoticed. In 2026, Jack was selected as a James Beard Award Finalist for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service.
Photo Courtesy of Endorffeine
Community happens when a regular guest finds themselves sitting next to a professional chef and they start a conversation because there’s nothing else to distract them.
Jack Benchakul
Explore more from Endorffeine
To experience the precision of biochemist-led brewing and the balance of the Thai Tonic, visit Jack at Endorffeine in Chinatown’s Far East Plaza.
What’s your L.A. CUP Story?
Do you know an L.A. beverage crafter who lovingly connects to your community? Join the conversation by tagging @NHMLA with #LACultureinaCup!
