A Culinary Journey to the Far South at Front Room

Front Room at Waldorf Astoria Bangkok is pleased to introduce a three-course Southern Thai Lunchby its chef de partie Chareef Pattanakul, who was born and raised in Narathiwat in the southernmost region of Thailand. The exceptional lunch set is available from now until June 30, 2023 only.

Front Room’s culinary team will take diners on a journey to the deep south of Thailand. To do so required sourcing ingredients from Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala such as the best salted fish, budu sauce (made from fermented anchovies), tea and more. Highlights, which are based on beloved family recipes, include: Panipuri Mataba Pla Kulao Foo (Panipuri, Curry Powder, Masala, Takbai Salted Fish); Khao Yum Pak Tai Chompu Dong (Seasonal Vegetables, Rice Pop, Narathiwat Fermented Fish Budu Sauce, Homemade Pickled Rose Apple); Tupa Sutong (Squid, Rice, Squid Ink); Gurma Ped Thod (Gurma Curry, Duck Confit, Yogurt); and Ice Cream Cha Chak Roti Grob (Southern Thai Tea Ice Cream, Crispy Roti, Pattani Coconut Sugar).      

“In my hometown Narathiwat, the food is heavily influenced by Malaysia with whom we share a border. The many Malay-Muslim influences on our distinctive dishes include the use of unique aromatic spices, a hint of sweetness in flavor profile and use of fermentation techniques. Since a young kid, I’ve been focused on cooking. Luckily my father supported my choices; he knew this career would make me the happiest. And today I am very pleased that I’m able to bring Southern Thai dishes that are so close to my heart and soul to the tables in Front Room for our guests to enjoy. This has also been a fun and enriching experience for myself and my colleagues in the kitchen as we explored how to enhance the traditional dishes by applying modern culinary techniques,” says Chareef.

Hotel executive chef Holm Klaenhammer says, “One of many reasons people love Thailand is the food culture. Many people will travel across the country for meals from north to south, from east to west – to discover the unique regional flavor profiles and enjoy all the specialties. For myself, working with Front Room’s talented culinary team is giving me an opportunity to not only sample their modern expression of Thai cuisine with full authentic flavors, but also to learn more about their hometown traditions, culture and way of life. It’s been truly inspiring to witness how chef de partie Chareef and his team worked together to develop this exceptional lunch menu.”

The three-course Southern Thai Lunch set is priced at THB 1,650++/person (food only), of which a THB 150 donation will be made to Amir al-Mu’minin Foundation, a Yala-based not-for-profit organization that provides assistance to orphans in Southern Thailand.

For further information and reservations, please call: 02 846 8888 or e-mail: bkkwa.fb@waldorfastoria.com