A celebration of taste

The Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs, Thailand celebrated the first edition of this year’s line up of exquisite gastronomic experiences recently with an exclusive dinner at the residence of French ambassador to Thailand, Gildas Le Lidec.
Prasobsook “Joe” Thawilvejjakul, the association’s president, led 70 members and their distinguished guests through the occasion. To start off the evening, guests were treated to bottles of bubbly Bruno Paillard Rose champagne by the poolside, where the ambassador along with Madame Christiane Le Lidec extended a warm welcome.
Before moving on to a magnificent dinner in the lush garden, the French ambassador surprised guests with a rare opportunity to view the interior of his home. The ambassador himself conducted the exclusive tour of the dining area, salon, and terrace overlooking the majestic Chao Praya River, while sharing stories of the historically significant property, which is listed as a National Heritage site.
One of the oldest embassies in Thailand, the property’s history dates back some 150 years. In 1857, when it belonged to the Crown, the representative of France, Charles de Montigny, resided there. Years later in 1875, King Chulalongkorn donated the property to the French Government.
In line with the society’s objective of promoting fine dining and preserving the heritage and culture of culinary arts, guests indulged in eight inspired plates from a menu of bountiful French delights paired with fine wine selected from well known regions of France, namely Loire, Burgundy, Alsace, Rhone and Bordeaux.
The mission of creating such spectacular dishes to showcase France’s endless array of delightful cuisine was entrusted to acclaimed executive chef Norbert Kostner of the Mandarin Oriental. Coordinating this dinner par excellence were the Chaine’s conseiller culinaire, Alessandro Haab and the conseiller gastronomique, Alan Kam. The evening was not only a celebration of France’s best tastes, but also a testament to Franco-Thai friendship.
Among the sampled dishes were a diverse Trio of tartars, herbs and flowers served with Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Les Romains 2009 and Caramelized quail, soft mashed potatoes paired with Chateau Kirwan,