Much has been made of synergies between culinary and other arts but rarely have they intertwined so beguilingly as in the Le Petit Chef 3D video-mapping-meets-fun dining performances presented at Embassy Room, 9th floor Park Hyatt Bangkok, in collaboration with Dinnertime Stories.
First launched in Belgium by Skullmapping in 2015, the concept was an immediate internet sensation. Park Hyatt Bangkok brought it to Asia for the first time last March and it has since spread to a select few other 5-star establishments around the region.
Yet it is still only one facet of the restaurant’s increasingly nuanced relationship with the great dining out public. Quite as popular is its also newish Boutique Sunday Brunch. Moreover, Embassy Room increasingly sequences offerings to match the time of day. All while accelerating the culinary evolution of its tasting and a la carte menus.
Meanwhile, the heroically plucky and comically testy Le Petit Chef, the central character of the 3D animated production engineered by digital projectors hidden in the ceiling, continues to attract adoring fans, especially multi-generational families, not only with kids but perhaps grandparents and other grownups yet to take tech wizardry for granted.
The modern yet nostalgic adventures portrayed through audio-visual gimmickry, dovetailed with an appetizingly eclectic dinner, takes you on a visceral voyage of culinary discovery in around 90 minutes. Each dinner takes place in Embassy Room’s largest private dining room contrastingly noted for its exquisite hand-painted silk walls.
Dubbed "In The Footsteps Of Marco Polo", the plot follows the smallest chef in the world at roughly 1.5 cm as he picks up sticks in France to follow the route taken by the legendary Italian explorer along the Silk Road, from Europe, through the Middle East and India all the way to the Middle Kingdom. Skipping between cuisines is no problem for the versatile and well-travelled gastronomically chefs.
“My job was boring and uninspired. I was about to give up my dream of becoming a great chef but then I discovered the route of Marco Polo,” the thimble-size chef declares at the outset as he sets off in search of exotic ingredients.
Along the way, he climbs snow-capped mountains, dives into roiling seas, roams remote villages, nearly disappears in Divali dust, and crosses blustery deserts in search of ingredients. He also grows giant potatoes and broccoli, catches a giant octopus with his bare hands and narrowly escapes self-immolation while charcoal-grilling steaks.
The dinner comes to life as the chef’s animated adventures are beamed onto a faux antique-bound book of blank pages at each of the place settings. Spaces in between diners morph into a canvas of colour and movement juxtaposing the elements with art. The video mapping appears to turn the pages, alternating a colourful story book and characters that pop out of the pages to act out entertaining episodes in eye-popping 3D.
Le Petit Chef communicates his progress in a sort of Smurf speak as if addressing each diner as a personal travelling companion, set against a soundtrack of music from each location and booming sound effects.
As he travels on, you become ever more entwined in the adventure by partaking of the location’s food.
An MC introduces each episode and explains the food. Conversation with fellow diners can be resumed during each course serving.
Two menu options are offered including a children’s menu with smaller portions, less spice and less greenery.
The grownups’ Marco Polo Journey begins with a choice of Lamb skewer, tabbouleh, labneh, pomegranate, sumac OR Grouper fish cake, kisir salad, tzatziki sauce, lemon OR Tofu falafel, hummus, cucumber, tomato, coriander, for your appetizer. Main course choices range Wok-fried seabass, garlic, ginger, scallion, Cantonese fried rice OR Wok-fried chicken, cashew nuts, bell pepper, Jasmine rice OR Longevity noodles, shitake mushrooms, pak choy, spring onions. Conclude with a decadent dessert of Chocolate crème brûlée, white chocolate ice cream OR Rice pudding crème brûlée, mandarin ginger sorbet OR Madagascar vanilla crème brûlée, Ispahan sorbet.
The kids have it great too, with a choice of tomato samosa, cheese, summer vegetables OR Sweetcorn salad, cherry tomatoes, cucumber to start. Then choose a main course from Chicken summer vegetable fried rice OR Seabass cutlets, vegetable spears, tartar sauce. And what better for dessert than Chocolate sundae with caramel OR Madagascar vanilla crème brûlée with strawberry sorbet
The specially crafted 3-course lunch and dinner is priced 1,250++ for adults and 750++ for kids. Free flow of wine, prosecco and beer at 990++
Seats to Le Petit Chef dinner performance can be reserved for lunch and dinner as follows: Fridays at 7.00 pm; Saturdays at 12.30 pm and 9.00 pm; and Sundays at 12.30 pm. Family and group bookings are available every day - 48 hours in advance.
Tel. 02 011 7480 or email: bkkph.fb.reservation@hyatt.com.
Boutique Sunday Brunch
Executive Chef Christian Hinckley, who arrived last October, also points to Boutique Sunday Brunch featuring premium steaks and seafood from the poolside BBQ as well as à la carte choices prepared at the indoor theatre kitchen. The neighbouring Pantry complements the package with breads and refrigerated small plate Thai salad and seafood appetizers and desserts.
“We’ve lightened it up with live cooking and live music and the feedback has been fantastic,” he says.
