HK Model and Illustrator Nomkakaii Balances Multiple Creative Pursuits
Ka Yan Tam is most well-known as a food illustrator. However, loyal followers know that the artist, who’s also known as Kai, follows many creative pursuits. She is a model, dancer, art student, and overall multi-hyphenate. Speaking to her makes it clear that she’s not ready to pigeonhole herself or her talents.
“One day, I hope to start my own creative agency in order to provide stability for creators in Asia. Maybe I’ll even become a rapper. Who knows what [creative] form I’ll take?” she quipped.
Today, Kai is most prominently known as the artist behind the Everyday Toast project; here, she illustrates different toasts she’s encountered in her travels. Her works are posted on her website, as well as on her Instagram account, under the username Nomkakaii. Her Instagram account currently has over 300,000 followers, further underscoring the popularity of her work.
“I think people find it genuinely humorous when I tell them I specialize in drawing [that],” she laughed. Since its inception, Kai has drawn over 400 toasts, each inspired by different eateries around the world. She’s immortalized the Hong Kong-style French Toast from Liu’s Café and Dominique Ansel's New York Avocado Toast, to name a few.
“I chose toast as a subject because I thought that I wouldn’t run out of ideas to draw. It was also due to a bit of homesickness since I was adjusting to Los Angeles after transferring universities [at the time],” she shared.
Having studied in Hong Kong, Kai also reveals that her favorite childhood snack was the city’s style of French Toast. Unique to Hong Kong, the city's variant is often deep-fried, filled with peanut butter, and topped with a slice of butter and syrup (or condensed milk).
“It reminds me of childhood because it was a treat that I would sometimes get when I visited my dad at work after school,” she reminisced.
The Everyday Toast project was also Kai’s attempt at connecting with F&B professionals. “F&B is genuinely one of the toughest business industries out there, and people really do it out of passion,” she acknowledged. “I try to visit as many cafes as I can while looking for toasts to draw and enjoy. I hope to share a small gift of gratitude through illustration to encourage them to keep going. Sometimes encouragement from a stranger can go a long way.”
Kai has also illustrated for Hong Kong’s Bakehouse and the Vivienne Westwood Café. “It’s really important to genuinely have a connection with people and brands before you work with them so that you can be your authentic self and be respected as that,” she shared.
And though Kai is mostly associated with food, she’s also been known to incorporate her love into clothes. Her collection with Japanese bakeries, Fujibagel and Anise Scone, birthed an adorable tote bag that quickly became one of the artist’s favorites.
“I think my collaboration with them became very successful because we really tried our best to understand each other beyond language and cultural differences; we also supported each other to achieve our own goals,” she mused.
A graduating student at the University of Southern California, Kai shares that for 2025, she has plenty of such goals. She’s already applied to graduate school as an art history student. She’ll also be heading to Tokyo this February to join her first risograph group exhibition.
“I’m also looking to publish a book on toast soon and figuring out how to have an exhibition in Los Angeles,” she added. “I have a growing list of things I want to do as I experience life, and it’s just figuring out which ones will happen first.”
Being so deeply involved in the creative industry has thereby taught Kai how to differentiate boundaries. Not only does she separate her art between “work” and “personal,” but she also reflects on “inward” versus “outward” creativity.
“‘Inward’ creativity I see as something more reflective for personal growth, creating things that make me think critically about myself in relation to the world around me. On the other hand, ‘outward’ creativity is working with others and expanding ideas, looking outwards for inspiration,” she explained.
This kind of creativity is particularly obvious when Kai switches from one hat to another. As an artist, she has the ability to create her own world or portray her views as she sees them. But as a model, she becomes part of someone else’s world.
“It’s fun to see myself in the way that the photographer or director sees me, because it reveals a different side of myself,” she added.
But whether facing outwards or inwards, it’s obvious that Kai’s worldview is incredibly broad. Not only do her many interests keep her curious, but her travels, friends, and outgoing personality continue to fuel her fire. “I’ve learned so much about myself and about the world because of experiences that helped me grow into the person I am. No one is going to have the same experience on earth [as you do] and I think that’s really cool,” she pointed out. “The best attitude to have about life is to be curious.”
This philosophy has allowed Kai to meet many friends, most of whom she bonded with through common interests. “I just go to places that I’m naturally drawn to. If there’s an artist I like, I’ll go to their exhibition,” she said matter-of-factly. “Literally, I met my best friend Liz because of an art exhibition two years ago at Gallery Nucleus in Los Angeles.”
One of her collaborators, Little Thunder, actually started out as her idol, eventually evolving to become a close friend. “I first went to [Little Thunder’s] exhibition back in 2018, and then met her on my 18th birthday at her fansign event,” Kai recalled. “I think there are just people you just know are going to be important in your life and she’s one of them. She was one of the first people to call me by my chosen name ‘Kai,’ and later on, also recognized my art, too.” The two have now released an illustration diary together entitled "Thunder 'N' Sea."
As Kai continues to create and advocate for artists, it may come as a surprise to learn that she doesn’t believe in creative blocks. “I believe that burnout exists but not necessarily creative block. During those moments, I try to find balance in life again before creating. Taking care of yourself internally and physically matters a lot more than anything,” Kai shared.
See more of Kai's work on Instagram
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