Michelin ratings head south
After the debut of Michelin Guide Bangkok late last year, the little red guide has announced that its star ratings will be extended to cover best dining venues in the Southern provinces of Phuket and Phang Nga for its second edition.
The 2019 edition to be released at the end of this year will feature Thailand’s vibrant food scene along with a wealth of accommodation. Bangkok’s inner zone and its neighbouring provinces of Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon and Samut Prakan will also be substantially covered in this new edition.
“Thrilled by the culinary and hospitality scene of Phuket, which offers unique and fascinating characteristics with its blend of various different cultural influences, Michelin inspectors are excited to discover and reveal the best dining and lodging experiences,” says Michael Ellis, the international director in charge of the Michelin Guides.
In addition to being the melting pot of cultural cuisine, Phuket is well known for excellent seafood. Similar to the food scene in Bangkok, the Pearl of Andaman offers ultimate culinary experience of both traditional and inventive creations, across all price ranges from sophisticated restaurants to street vendors. As popular tourist destinations, Phuket and Phang Nga have a range of accommodation options on offer to visitors to suit all budgets and preferences, from international-standard hotels to simple guesthouses.
“The local cuisine in Phuket is distinctive and flavourful with a wonderful blend of influences from India, Malaysia, China, and the Peranakan ethnic group. Basically, it truly offers an infinite variety of flavours worth discovering,” adds Segsarn Trai-Ukos, country director of Michelin Siam Co and secretary general of Michelin East Asia and Australia.
Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), also expects that the guidebook will help promote the country as an international gastronomic destination.
The Michelin Guide Bangkok, Phuket, and Phang Nga 2019 will be available in a bilingual edition of Thai and English, in both print and digital versions.
In the inaugural edition, three luxury establishments – Gaggan, Le Normandie and Mezzaluna – earned two stars while 14 restaurants got one star. Seven of them – street food eatery Jay Fai, Bo.lan, Nahm, Saneh Jaan, Chim by Siam Wisdom, Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin and Paste offer Thai food.
The other one-starred restaurants are Japanese eatery Ginza Sushi ichi, French establishments L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, J’Aime by Jean-Michel Lorrain and Savelberg – as well as Suhring, Elements and Upstairs at Mikkeller. No restaurant has achieved the coveted highest three-star rating.
Learn more at www.Guide.Michelin.com/th/bangkok
