Bangkok, Thailand, November 25, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / At the MICHELIN Star Award Ceremony, which also marks the official release of the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2023, Michelin announced the recipients of the prestigious MICHELIN Star, the MICHELIN Green Star, the MICHELIN Young Chef Award, the MICHELIN Service Award, and two special awards introduced for the first time in this latest edition of the Thai travel guide: the MICHELIN Opening of the Year Award and the MICHELIN Sommelier Award.

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The sixth edition of the MICHELIN Guide presents 441 restaurants – including 6 two-star restaurants (all retained their status), 29 one-star restaurants, 189 Bib Gourmand restaurants, and 217 additional recommendations. New to the MICHELIN Guide are 5 restaurants with one Michelin star (4 new entries and 1 rising star) and 59 Bib Gourmand restaurants (53 new entries and 6 rising stars), as well as 54 additional restaurants from the recommendation list. Of the 111 new entries, 69 are from four representative cities in northeastern Thailand, the Isan region (Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, and Udon Thani), which were newly included in the 2023 edition.

“After suffering for several years due to the pandemic, Thailand’s gastronomy and hospitality sector is experiencing a nationwide boom. Numerous new gourmet restaurants have opened – not only by local chefs who are returning to their culinary roots and therefore offering a variety of cuisines: Northern Thai, Southern Thai, Isan, authentic and modern Thai cuisine, etc., but also by major investors and world-renowned chefs. Our MICHELIN Guide inspectors are delighted with this positive development in Thailand’s gastronomy scene,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides.

“The increased number of entries in the latest edition of the MICHELIN Guide Thailand is both a testament to the success of restaurateurs who have persevered despite all the challenges, and a result of our expansion of the report to include Northeast Thailand – or ‘Isan’ – Thailand’s largest region, rich in history, stunning scenery, and diverse natural treasures. We are convinced that extending the MICHELIN Guide to this region will promote knowledge and understanding of Isan cuisine while simultaneously boosting tourism to the area. With this latest edition of the MICHELIN Guide Thailand, we hope to contribute to the recovery of the restaurant and hotel industry after the pandemic.”

Five new entries (four new additions and one rising star) have been added to the list of restaurants with one MICHELIN star. In the Thai edition of the MICHELIN Guide 2023, the number of restaurants with two MICHELIN stars remains unchanged at six: Chef's Table, Le Normandie by Alain Roux, Mezzaluna, R-Haan, Sorn, and Sühring. The selection of restaurants with one MICHELIN star welcomes five new entries, all in Bangkok: Baan Tepa, a contemporary Thai restaurant with a beautifully presented tasting menu, prepared with seasonal ingredients from sustainable producers and its own garden; Haoma, an Indian restaurant that creates delicious, artfully presented Indian dishes à la carte and seasonal tasting menus (including vegetarian options) using sustainable, seasonal, and local ingredients from farmers, growers, fishermen, and its own garden; Maison Dunand, a modern French restaurant with a tasting menu inspired by the chef's Alpine roots, childhood trips to Brittany, and illustrious international culinary journey; Potong, a Thai-Chinese restaurant where tradition meets innovation, offering a progressive 20-course menu interwoven with stories and culminating in aged duck breast; and Signature, a French restaurant featured on the recommendation list of the previous MICHELIN Guide Thailand edition, offering classic French flavors with imported herbs and edible flowers that reflect its terroir through its seasonal Flower Bouquet menus.

Two new restaurants bring the total number of MICHELIN Green Star restaurants to three. Alongside PRU, the MICHELIN-starred restaurant in Phuket, which has retained its MICHELIN Green Star for the third consecutive year, there is now Haoma – an Indian restaurant in Bangkok, which has been included in the MICHELIN Green Star list for the first time this year. Haoma raises fish in rainwater collected year-round for its own aquaponics system and recycles it using Nordaq water systems, so that guests can drink it. During the pandemic, a farm was also established in Bangkok to raise chickens, goats, and cows for the ever-changing menus. Jampa, a newcomer to the MICHELIN Guide's recommended Phuket restaurant list, aims to educate its guests about the benefits of fresh, local produce and serves modern European dishes using herbs and vegetables from its own organic farm, seafood from local fishermen, and nutritious, balanced ingredients for a healthier diet.

MICHELIN Thailand Young Chef Award 2023: Davide Garavaglia of Côte by Mauro Colagreco. Italian chef Davide Garavaglia brings the Mediterranean culinary philosophy of chef Mauro Colagreco to the Chao Phraya River and works closely with chef Marc Vasseur. After stints at D'O – a two-Michelin-starred restaurant under chef Davide Oldani in Milan – and later at Sketch – a three-Michelin-starred restaurant under chef Pierre Gagnaire in London – Garavaglia joined Mauro Colagreco's Mirazur in 2015, where he played a key role in the restaurant achieving its three-Michelin-starred status.

MICHELIN Thailand Service Award 2023: Mr. Uthit Songtho of Baan Phraya Restaurant. Restaurant Manager Uthit Songtho offered his guests impressive Thai hospitality at the high standard of the Mandarin Oriental. Throughout the entire service, he was friendly, courteous, and genuine. Mr. Songtho warmly greeted guests personally as they disembarked from the boat and bid them farewell at the pier. He also provided them with detailed information about the restaurant's history, the chef's career, the dishes, and Thai cuisine in general, and always sought feedback on the meals.

2 new special prizes – for the first time in Thailand

MICHELIN Thailand Award for Best Restaurant Opening 2023: Ms. Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij from Potong. This award is given to chefs, hosts, or restaurant managers for the successful opening of a restaurant within the last twelve months. Particular emphasis is placed on a creative tasting concept and an innovative culinary approach that has had a lasting impact on the local gastronomy scene.

Chef Pam is the first recipient of this special award in Thailand, honored for the successful opening of her restaurant Potong in the heart of Chinatown. Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, she renovated her family's former pharmacy building. It was the first restaurant of its kind in Thailand, serving innovative Thai-Chinese cuisine with a 20-course tasting menu, where each dish embodies the Five Elements philosophy of salt, acidity, spiciness, texture, and Millard reaction.

MICHELIN Thailand Sommelier Award 2023: Mr. Guillaume Perdigues of the Mezzaluna restaurant. The MICHELIN Sommelier Award is presented in recognition of the sommelier's expertise in recommending food and wine pairings to enhance the guest experience.

Mr. Perdigues, Thailand's first award winner, is a passionate and knowledgeable wine connoisseur. As a professional sommelier, he takes great pleasure in advising his guests on wine selection and suitable food pairings, tailored to their personal tastes and menu choices. With his friendly and attentive manner, he serves wine, connects well with his guests, and enjoys sharing his wine knowledge.

The complete restaurant list for Thailand is available free of charge on the MICHELIN Guide website and app. It complements the MICHELIN Guide hotel selection, which showcases the most exceptional and exciting accommodations in Thailand and worldwide.

Every hotel in the MICHELIN Guide has been selected for its exceptional style, service, and individual personality – with options to suit every budget. All hotels can be booked directly through the MICHELIN Guide website and app. The selection for Thailand includes the country's most spectacular hotels, including groundbreaking luxury boutique hotels like Amanpuri, pioneers in sustainability like Rayavadee, outstanding hotels from our Plus collection such as The Standard Bangkok Mahanakhon, and dreamy treetop pool villas like Keemala.

The MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2023 at a glance: – 6 Two MICHELIN Stars – 29 One MICHELIN Star (4 new, 1 upgraded) – 3 MICHELIN Green Stars (2 new) – 189 Bib Gourmand (53 new, 6 upgraded)