Try Chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn’s modern Thai flavours in Kolkata, Chennai, and Delhi
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn grew up watching his mother and grandparents cook. Yet he didn’t follow the only piece of advice they gave him.

“They asked me not to open a restaurant,” laughs the chef, who now has six restaurants under his belt, including the one Michelin star Le Du in Bangkok. “But when my grandmother walked into my first restaurant Le Du in 2013, she was proud of me. She always said, food is about cooking for people you love. The meal should make them come together and they should be happy. I am glad I am able to do this,” says the Thailand-based chef.

Interestingly, before donning the chef’s whites, Thitid was an investment banker — for a month. Realising it was not the job for him, he quit and pursued an MBA in hospitality business, then studied at The Culinary Institute of America. He worked at formidable restaurants like Eleven Madison Park, The Modern, and the Michelin-starred Jean Georges, where it became apparent to him that top places in the world care about local produce. “They are very proud about what is grown there. I saw farmers making money from their produce… I wanted to do something similar for farmers in Thailand. The only way to do that would be to come back and start a restaurant,” says Thitid over a call from Bangkok.

Thitid uses “100% local ingredients”. Till about a decade ago, people thought Thai ingredients were not good enough, he says. In a bid to change that perception, he started working with farmers, giving them feedback, telling them what he wanted and how to level up their produce.

“For example, earlier, the beef wasn’t good enough to be served as steak to the guests. But now the quality has improved. After I started, this became a big trend. Even European restaurants in Thailand are using local Thai produce, which is a good sign. I am pleased to see many Thai farmers are able to raise their family well,” he says.

The 38-year-old chef is now travelling across India, bringing his culinary expertise and distinct flavours to the ITC hotels in Kolkata, Chennai, and Delhi. The chef and the hotel have similar ethos that highlight sustainability and culinary creations based on seasonal produce. The menu also draws inspiration from Thitid’s family recipes and cookbooks of the royal kitchens.

Chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn

The six course meal will feature dishes and techniques that he incorporates at Le Du. “It’s a modern take on Thai cuisine. It is in the little details like how we cook the meat and fish, and at what temperature, how to make a stock and what to combine to make it complex with more flavours, how to present it…,” he explains.

The menu is an amalgamation of comforting ingredients and unusual pairings. The dessert for example, combines banana and corn. Without disclosing too much, Thitid says he is most excited about the coconut vinegar that he is carting along from Bangkok. “It’s fermented for four years, and we serve that as a sorbet. We added this to our menu two months ago and it has become very popular.”

In terms of plating, from putting 10 different components and colours on a plate, Thitid and his team have moved to a minimalist approach this year. That is the trend in 2024 and we will showcase that and try to make everything beautiful with less colour and components.

Thitid is hopeful that the diners in Chennai will enjoy this new style of Thai cuisine. He also wants to hear feedback. He seems calm about the whole process. “I felt a lot of pressure when I was younger. Every year, my restaurants are improving and doing something new. With that in mind, I am not afraid of losing the star. Earlier, I used to think oh is that a Michelin inspector dining? Now, I am always ready, whoever comes, comes. We just do our best, challenge ourselves and move forward.”

The meal is priced at ₹35,000 per head, including taxes. The popup will have two sittings — lunch and dinner and will be on at the ITC Royal Bengal in Kolkata on September 12, ITC Grand Chola in Chennai on September 14 and ITC Maurya in Delhi on September 16. For details, call: 9600180582.