Chi taps into MANA from heaven

WE’RE ALL IN need of some “divine nourishment” from time to time, and that’s literally what the “Mana” means in the name Mana Cuisine by Blue Elephant. It’s the new “supperclub dining” concept at the restaurant Chi.
Executive chef Tony Bish is also head teacher at Blue Elephant Phuket, and that restaurant chain, specialising in Royal Thai cuisine, has become Chi’s partner in this venture.
The yearlong collaboration pools the talents of Chi pioneer Daryl Scott and the culinary school and international restaurant group Blue Elephant, driven by Kim Steppe, son of master chef Nooror Somany Steppe.
Bish’s interpretation of “divine nourishment” results in a menu that blends exotic, spiritual and technical influences. The selection of dishes in each course is interchangeable among the elemental themes fire (meat), water (seafood) and earth (vegetarian). The menu changes every three months, says Chi’s management, “fulfilling Bish’s desire to continue to learn, anticipate change and implement new ideas in the spirit of Blue Elephant and Chi”.
“Mana is an Asian food style with flavour profiles created for both Asian and European tastes,” says Bish. “Kim, Daryl and I, along with our teams, have worked really hard to build the concept, and finally it’s ready to be introduced with the exciting elemental themes of Mana.
“We want customers to have a choice, so we have our favourite ingredients from many countries as well as the ingredients we buy directly from Thailand’s Royal Project farms. We’re mindful of every single step, and customers can feel that dedication to getting the steps perfectly right in every dish they enjoy here.”
The Mana menus will be an ever-evolving component of the fun concept for Chi, always offering something new, says Bish.
“We plan to change menus every three months because we want customers to have a new experience with every visit. “I’m committed to continuing to learn and take on new skills and techniques. I want to change and implement new ideas in the style of Blue Elephant and basically to make sure everyone who comes to our supperclub leaves thinking that the experience is one that will stay with them – at least until they come again.”
Daryl Scott, owner of Chi, explains the inspiration for the partnership between Chi and Blue Elephant.
“It’s extremely important that people understand that Chi is not a nightclub but a supperclub. It’s a place where they can come and enjoy amazing food, spectacular entertainment at the table, transparent menu pricing and unbelievable cuisine straight out of our Blue Elephant-designed kitchen.
“We’ve begun this collaboration with Blue Elephant because they’ve maintained a reputation for greatness over the last 33 years and it lets us implement a menu of Mana, which is an entirely new vision in food. It’s taken us a long time to implement this concept because it cannot be rushed.”
Chi, billing itself as an imaginative, holistic supperclub experience, aims to change the future of Bangkok nightlife, Scott says.
“It promises to be a unique lounge and restaurant destination brimming with Asian style, cutting-edge beats, one-of-a-kind culinary creativity and a chic Asian-mod aesthetic unlike anything that’s gone before.
“Guests can dine in the belly of the imperial dragon while Chi’s video-animated ceiling offers gentle, captivating entertainment before the club really begins to rock each evening and carries on until 2am.”

Chi Supperclub is at 32/8 Sukhumvit Road Soi 13.
Mana Cuisine is served Tuesday through Saturday from 7pm to 2am, with a set dinner menu (Bt1,800-plus) available from 7 to 10.30 and tapas until 1am.
Make reservations at (02) 102 0013. Online see www.ChiUltralounge.com and the “chiultralounge” sites on Facebook and Twitter.