Just "Howie", as he likes to be called, an astute American businessman with a sharp wit and penchant for fine architecture and good food, is the proprietor, along with his wife Jerri, of Howie's HomeStay located in Mae Rim District of Chiang Mai. Howie is also the co-host of the private chef's table dinners held on the property. The Chef's Table concept was dreamed up with close friend and co-conspirator, Chef Alexandre "Alex" Demard.
Chef Alex, had become a prominent local figure since working as Executive Chef at X2 Chiang Mai Riverside for four years, prior to the height of COVID-19. Alongside mentor Chef, Nicolas Isnard, Chef Alex was instrumental in the resort's signature restaurant, Oxygen Dining Room, gaining its first Michelin Plate in the 2020 Michelin Guide Thailand.
When discussing with them the apt and practically named; "Chef's Table by Alexandre Demard at Howieshomestay.com" project, the dynamic between Howie and Chef Alex is palpable. But though their banter is frequently punctuated with jests and good humour, it is clear that the seriousness of their gastronomical passions are equally on par.
Chef Alex's reflects, "Everyone in the business who knows Howie has had the opportunity to come and see what he has created. Which is really marvellous and astonishing. I was really, really impressed by it, immediately in my mind I thought, ‘we must do something together'."
Howie reveals the story of bringing the project to fruition: "We cemented the relations after COVID destroyed the world. We both had nothing to do, so to speak, so we thought, let's take the most spectacular residence, the most spectacular facility, and venue and make the most spectacular food, and this is what Alex does."
Guests, who are no more than eight-to-ten per sitting, begin their experience by sipping Kir Royal from hefty crystal glasses while enjoying Howie's HomeStay's fabulous view on the patio of the open kitchen dining room where the dinners are held.
From this perspective, guests witness the warmly lit, iconic Lanna Thai "sala" (gazebo) which appears to majestically float on its own reflection in the infinity-like pool which is framed by antique wood statues and back-dropped by the foothills of Chiang Mai's luscious mountainous brush. The multiple hues of aqua from the villa pool, juxtaposed with the forest greens are amplified by the iridescent lights of the dusk sky. If one is able to ever witness such a magnificent sight, one may yet not be aware that it's all part of a masterplan.
Howie reveals, "I was fortunate enough to cross paths with Bill Bensley who was one of the preeminent designers in Southeast Asia, in fact a creative genius. At the time I met him, he was not interested in doing homes. He only did resorts, 5-star resorts at that, but we developed a very tight friendship and he did the complete package for us on our homestay."
Influential relationships are inherent when it comes to Howie. At dinner you could be seated among the likes of a Swiss-Thai couple whose 20-rai farm grows certified organic fruit and veggies for restaurants, a prominent Thai social journalist or German-cum-Thai national real estate heavyweight. In a room of ambient opulence and global minds, memorable relationships are forged with the assistance of Howie's bold charisma and Chef Alex's kind and effervescent nature. Conversation and laughter come freely and easily with promises to exchange contacts by night's end.
Howie says of his partner: "He has a great personality, his interactions with guests is 50 percent and is half of the whole experience – if there's a guy who has never had a stain on his shirt and walks around all stiff and very boring, there's no fun in that."
Alex supports their Chef's Table's philosophy further, saying: "It's more what I love to do: working as executive chef rather than a lot of paperwork, operational work, a lot of staff to take care of. Here I really wanted to focus on a small group and stay humble. I have the freedom to spend more time with guests and introduce them to my childhood memories and experiences through my menu."
Chef Alex still serves his 14 courses of Modern French cuisine with professional timing and aplomb. The small, but not too small, servings consist of decadent French ingredients which integrate local Thai organic produce to create the eccentricity of Alex's cuisine style. A style which stems from tracing the habit and environment of the product.
Chef Alex explains, "I use foie gras to make a parfait with the yolks of duck eggs and the ducks eat corn which I also integrate. The duck stays on the farm. What grows on the farm? Mushrooms which I combine according to season also."
Seventy percent of the menu will change with every new Chef's Table set up but signature dishes such as the Pain Soufflé Pissaladiere, Caviar de Neuvic, Socca Chips and Mediterranean Olive Paste, along with the Foie Gras Parfait Duck Eggs and Crab Tom Kha, will remain.
What diners will find distinctive about Chef Alex's cuisine is the way he intertwines rich flavours with savoury and sour notes. Something that Chef attributes to his upbringing as a native of Nice.
Guests are likely to end a spectacular evening with more wine and an excess of stimulating conversation. Those who spend the whole night here, including the Chef's Table experience, are also at liberty to explore Howie's immensely impressive grounds. Overnight guests may sleep in The Teak Pavilion or Family Pavilion and spend their day amid the five acres of verdant tropical gardens, rippling streams, water gardens and private river.
Howie's HomeStay accepts only one booking at a time, so guests have the entire property to themselves.
"I think you just have to look around: we are here at the foothills of the Himalayas and you're the only guest on the property. There's no other homestay or resort anywhere else in the area where you are the only guests. I think that the guests should have their privacy."
Suffice to say, the Chef's Table bookings for October are filling up fast. Besides some basic information posted on the official Chef's Table by Alexandre Demard Facebook page, the only promotion thus far has been by word of mouth. "Those in the know love it and share it among other discerning foodies."
Howie, sums up by reminding us of the solemnity which inspired and created a need for this exceptional destination,
"In this day and age with all the problems with the world, when there's no good news; nothing politically good, nothing good health wise, no business that's really good, we're just doing our part to have a little fun together and bring it to the guests. We're not inexpensive and we don't want to be: we are here to offer a unique experience."
Chef's Table by Alexandre Demard
3500 THB / 10 Courses, 5000 THB / 14 Courses, 7000 / 14 + wine pairing.
Dinner experience operation: Every alternate weekend 2-3 nights increasing to every weekend (some Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays).
Howie's HomeStay
2 persons 35,000 THB, additional rooms 25,000 THB per room per night.
All-inclusive of full board and fees. Howie's HomeStay never accepts more than one party for the entire duration of the stay.
HowiesHomestay.com
About the author: Samantha Proyrungtong, an Australian born with Thai heritage, is a well-known ‘foodies' entrepreneur based in Bangkok who runs her own specialty food business (VIVIN Grocery, Ekamai Complex, Tel. 080 463 5747) and marketing consulting company (Extrovert Marketing Consulting) and is founder of BangkokFoodies.com and FoodiesOfficialAsia.com.
