Star spangled dinner

The Michelin Guide has led to an explosion in the Thai food scene since it was first published a year ago. Now, for better or for worse, every restaurant new and old is chasing stars. Having made such waves in Bangkok, it is not surprising that the guide has decided to spread its wings and look further afield to see what the rest of Thailand has to offer. This year's edition, in addition to its selection of the capital's finest, also features picks from nearby provinces, as well as Phuket and Phangnga.

Wednesday's launch of The Michelin Guide Bangkok, Phuket And Phang-Nga 2019 was an appropriately starry affair. Some 27 restaurants have been awarded stars in and around Bangkok, along with two in Phuket and Phangnga. The 10 new entrants to the star-studded list are mostly Thai restaurants, three of which opened just this year.

Saawaan, which earned one star, has 32-year-old chef Sujira "Aom" Pongmorn at its helm. Chef Aom's 10-course tasting menu mixes modern cooking techniques with traditional dishes using local ingredients sourced from all over Thailand.

"I am very excited," she said. "I did not expect Saawaan to get a star, since it's a new restaurant. No one knows me. Getting a star is easier than keeping it, so the pressure is on! We will keep doing our best every day."

One entry that came as a surprise is Canvas, a visually stunning restaurant where head chef Riley Sanders serves vibrant six- and nine-course tasting menus highlighting primarily Thai ingredients with focused cooking. His menu is reflective of his Willy Wonka-like look and style -- bold, colourful beauty on a plate.

Sühring, run by brothers Thomas and Mathias Sühring, graduated from one to two Michelin stars. Photos: Pornprom Satrabhaya

"Honestly, I am speechless," Sanders admitted. "We just have to get back to work and get better and better. I am happy that we got this but it's not finished. The star doesn't change the food at all. There are tiny details that I want to improve throughout the whole restaurant. We are still going to use local ingredients, find cool produce and put it together, maybe a little bit differently, but cook the way we always have. I think we will have more guests coming in who expect the Michelin level and we have to achieve that for all. That is exciting. I want to keep being the restaurant that does new things, so I plan to add a new dish or dishes every day and not stick to the same menu."

While Canvas was not expected to be among the awardees, Sorn on Sukhumvit 26 most certainly was. The four-month-old restaurant, headed by chef Supaksorn "Ice" Jongsiri, focuses on long lost recipes from southern Thailand, using sustainably-sourced ingredients from a trusted network of farmers and fishermen, presented using refined cooking techniques. So popular has the restaurant proved that it had a four-month waiting list even before the award of its Michelin star.

"It feels unreal for us but it has been a team effort," Ice said. "One man cannot get a star in five months. I am just the leader of the group. My team are all from southern Thailand. We use ingredients from the South and go to a lot of places to source our ingredients. We want to thank the farmers, fishermen, rice farmers, everyone who gives us the amazing Thai ingredients because without them this would not have been possible. We cannot appreciate this star any more than we do."

The Michelin Man is a connoisseur of Thai food. Pornprom Satrabhaya

Of the 23 one-star establishments in the latest edition, Le Du and Gaa (whose head chef Garima Arora becomes the first Indian woman chef to be honoured) are the only two restaurants that have progressed from the Plate award -- a designation given to restaurants for good meals with fresh ingredients and capable preparation -- to earn a star. Eight are new entries.

Le Du, which may sound French but is a Thai expression meaning "season", is based on the centuries-old culinary cultures that have taken root in the Kingdom. While not judging contestants on Top Chef Thailand, Thitid Tassanakajohn, popularly known as Chef Ton, is busy dishing out the creations that put Le Du on the map. The establishment is ranked No.14 on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2018 list.

"It's very exciting and I'm very happy," laughed chef Ton. "My dog, who is called Michelin, is three years old. When I named him I did not know Thailand would have a Michelin Guide. At that time, I used to say that I already have my Michelin."

PRU (which stands for "plant, raise, understand") is the only restaurant in Phuket to earn a star. Chef Jimmy Ophorst said it feels special: "I don't know what to say but it's amazing. This star is to make the entire island proud, not just us. We can all take pride in this. The only thing that will change at PRU, hopefully, will be that we get busier. We are here to do something different and support the local community."

Chef Garima Arora's Gaa became the first restaurant helmed by an Indian woman chef to be awarded a Michelin star.

PRU, tucked inside luxury resort Trisara, pursues a culinary ambition which elevates farm-to-table cooking. All of chef Ophorst's ingredients are sourced in Thailand (even the butter is made in-house with milk from Krabi), with most being grown on the restaurant's 96 hectare organic farm Pru Jampa in northeast Phuket.

Other new Michelin-starred restaurants include Methavalai Sorndaeng, where chef Jirawut Sapkiree's food has kept loyal customers coming back for more than 60 years with its refined complexity; and R-Haan, a restaurant offering authentic Thai dishes by former Iron Chef Chumpol Jangprai, using ingredients from all over the country. Ruean Panya in Samut Sakhon is a family-run restaurant recognised as a hidden gem for its artistic approach to food. Chef-owner Pannee Ganisthanaka's attention to detail and complexity of flavours make every dish worth the wait. Meanwhile, Suan Thip in Nonthaburi is set amid a lush garden and small ponds. Here, chef Banyen Ruangsantheia's refined cuisine is inspired by royal recipes.

Three restaurants -- Elements, Nahm and Saneh Jaan -- have retained their stars, despite having new chefs at the helm. Sühring, where twins Mathias and Thomas Sühring offer their unique style of modern German cooking, has climbed from one star to two. They join Gaggan, Le Normandie and Mezzaluna, all of whom retain their two stars.

"It's amazing," said chef Thomas. "I think it is a short time for us, considering it is not even three years since we opened. What has been happening since then has been incredible. I didn't expect to get two stars. We were happy with the one, but to get two stars is really incredible.

"First we thought we could take holidays but I think this is impossible now. Our goal is cooking consistently and maintaining quality by creating new dishes, trying to make guests happy and just continuing doing what we do. Obviously this method has been successful. The two stars will make us focus more on details and we shall have to update things. This time we shall have to be more detailed, make it better and evolve."

"Since we own the restaurant, we can get much more creative and do things much faster," added chef Mathias. "We can travel and get inspired. This is a plus as it helps achieve the right things you need to make a dish stand out. Everywhere we travel, people tell us that we have elevated German food, and we feel like we are ambassadors for German cuisine, bringing it into world focus and showing people that it is not just pork knuckle."

includes 217 dining and 67 lodging establishments. It is available in a bilingual digital edition (Thai and English) on guide.michelin.com and a print version, which is on sale at leading bookstores for 650 baht from today.

The Michelin Guide Bangkok, Phuket And Phang-Nga 2019