What helped Vietnamese restaurant in Bangkok receive Michelin award?

When it comes to pioneering restaurants in Bangkok that are serving up great food, the name that inevitably comes to mind is Thien Duong, a Vietnamese restaurant that has been awarded a Bib Gourmand (good food at an affordable price) in the Michelin Guide Thailand 2022 and 2023. This Vietnamese restaurant first opened in the 5-star Dusit Thani Bangkok hotel over 35 years ago and is now located in the leafy grounds of Baan Dusit Thani.

Grilled spring rolls and skewered fish and shrimp with sugarcane, Chef Thien Duong and the restaurant's interior

Located on Soi Saladaeng 1, the restaurant is a restored centuries-old house owned by the Osathanugrah family. The decor is French, reflecting the influence of French cuisine on Vietnamese cuisine. Although the restaurant has changed locations, one thing has remained constant: great tasting Vietnamese food. Chef Phumphast Whattithum, who has been in the kitchen of this legendary eatery since day one.

"Paradise opened in 1987, during a time when hotels did not have many restaurants. At that time, Thai food and restaurants were becoming popular due to the increasing number of tourists coming to Thailand for vacation. The management of Dusit Thani Bangkok planned to diversify the cuisine in the hotel, so the idea of ​​a Vietnamese restaurant was born. At that time, there were almost no Vietnamese restaurants in Bangkok, and Vietnamese food was not yet popular. Personally, I saw this as a new opportunity, so I asked to transfer to work at a Vietnamese restaurant," chef Whattithum told Michelin Guide .

The restaurant is located in an old villa in the center of Bangkok.

When Paradise first opened, he was still working at the hotel bar. When the opportunity arose, he applied for a position in the Paradise kitchen, where he learned the art of Vietnamese cuisine from top Vietnamese chefs. Back then, it was not only a challenge to gain acceptance for foreign food but also a struggle to find Vietnamese ingredients in Thailand.

“Since our opening day, one standard we have continued to strictly adhere to is using the best ingredients, especially flour and pork leg, which are the soul of Vietnamese cuisine,” the chef shared.

In the early days, the restaurant staff had to look for the type of flour that people in Vietnam use to make spring rolls. They found it from a Vietnamese family who immigrated to Nong Khai. This family has been supplying spring roll flour to the restaurant ever since. The rice flour is still milled by hand. Therefore, the color is not white but the color of rice. It is even a little opaque, but still soft and chewy. If used to make spring rolls, the spring rolls are guaranteed to be very crispy," he continued.

"For the spring rolls, we order from another Vietnamese family also in Nong Khai. It's a spring roll with pork skin, with our signature flavor," he added.

When he first started his culinary career, Chef Whattithum worked with a small team in the kitchen at Thien Duong. After furthering his professional knowledge, the ambitious chef traveled abroad to gain more experience in Vietnamese restaurants around the world . He worked in Vietnamese restaurants in Germany, on a cruise ship and in the UK, then returned to Thien Duong to become the head chef.

Chefs and restaurant staff receive Michelin Bib Gourmand 2023

Chef Whattithum notes that his global travels have broadened his horizons in the world of Vietnamese cuisine. Applying what he has learned to create the signature flavors of Paradise, the Vietnamese restaurant is now listed on the Bib Gourmand list, serving classic and contemporary Vietnamese dishes.

In addition to the classics, Chef Whattithum constantly updates the menu with special and seasonal options that diners may not find even in Vietnam. These delicious dishes may have adopted certain Vietnamese techniques or ingredients into delicious dishes that please the Thai palate. There is also a touch of French cuisine that contributes to dishes such as Vietnamese pizza, grilled lamb chops with mint sauce, fried rice with Paradise and many more.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/dieu-gi-giup-nha-hang-viet-nam-o-bangkok-nhan-giai-michelin-185230615142550887.htm