Millennium Hilton Bangkok has not only unveiled a new executive chef, Matthias Mittnacht, but also introduced plans for new dining concepts, well into 2024.
From Bavaria, Germany, chef Mittnacht has spent eight years in Thailand, highlighted by an appearance on the “Lost Recipe” series and as a guest judge on “Ironchef Thailand" 2019. Fusing influences from global trends and local flavours, chef Mittnacht’s culinary vision is centred on fashioning a diverse array of dining experiences that cater to the tastes of visitors and the local community.
“I love to twist classic Asian and European cuisines. When I was a young I travelled South America and this is why I love this type of cuisine. At Threesixty Rooftop Bar, the cuisine was too Tex Mex, so I wanted to steer away from that and offer an elevated experience. The cuisine will now draw inspiration from Spanish and Latin American cuisines, offering an array of delectable small plates in the traditional style of tapas. I have gone a bit more Peruvian-Japanese, but still sticking to South American flavours. The offerings will be Slow-braised Wagyu beef in a crispy wonton shell with a bit of gojuchang. At the bar, the food isn’t the main focus, its a supporting element, small bites in a small presentation. The Jalapeno scallop ceviche uses yuzu, sweet mango and popcorn for texture,” explains the chef. The Hokkaido scallop is served raw but marinated in coconut milk and yuzu, mango, roast peppers and popcorn.
Along the Chao Phraya River, a new riverside bar and beer garden will offer a blend of modern and retro art, live music, and creatively reimagined comfort classics. The urban modern nuevo flame-cooked kitchen will serve carefully crafted dishes, paired with classic drinks and wines.
The Ale House, which soft opens on Dec 12 in time for the cool evening air, embraces the fusion of a contemporary tap house, lively sports bar, and a laid-back beer garden in a sophisticated manner. It offers a wide selection of draft beverages and hearty international pub cuisine that encapsulates and commemorates the vibrancy and vitality of the surrounding neighbourhoods. “This is a bit of comfort food, like a Tom kha gai karage. I use the tom kha gai paste on chicken thighs and I tempura-fry them using a charcoal-karage batter. It is served with a tom kha gel and right before serving I inject the thighs with some tom kha, so it will have a bit of liquid inside, too,” explains chef Mittnacht.
“There is nothing more classic than ribs, and from our signature Josper Grill, I present ‘The Ripper’,” says the chef. Slow-baked pork ribs tenderised for more than 12 hours, glazed with The Ale House’s signature bourbon BBQ sauce, served with a side of Texas-style Cobb salad. It is served with a spicy mayo and sprinkled with furukake.
Another dining concept, Oxbo will open next year in 2024 and will focus on a farm-to-fork grill concept. Expect dishes like Tuna tartar with Yellowfin tuna diced and served in a creamy celeriac puree, accompanied by roasted fennel, and Tasmanian salmon grilled to perfection, accompanied by a medley of green vegetables and drizzled with an ikura beurre blanc sauce.
However, adding new to the old, the buffet on Friday and Saturday evenings will feature a chef’s theatre of sorts. “We will be cooking four dishes tableside for the diners. One will be a buffalo mozzarella salad, a Thai salad, a pasta dish using mushroom and truffle gnocchi and a chocolate semifreddo,” says the chef.
