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Gaggan Anand

Bangkok

Legendary Indian chef pushing the limits of fine dining

On the Pass

Gaggan Anand

What’s the story? Gregarious Kolkata-born chef Gaggan Anand closed his Bangkok restaurant – which had been voted No.1 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants a record four times from 2015-2018 – in August 2019. In November of the same year, he opened a new incarnation of the eatery with a subtly different name in a new, foliage-clad site in the southeast of Bangkok. After debuting on the list at No.5 in 2021 and earning the Highest New Entry Award, it went through a period of temporary closure, but comes back with a bang to re-enter Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023.

What will I eat? Gaggan rose to fame for his irreverent, highly creative menus – at one point written only with emojis and currently laid out like a school test – which are subject to constant evolution. Classic dishes like Lick It Up, a multi-coloured Holi gulal made from vegetables dyes, have evolved: every element sees an assault of flavour on the palate’s taste receptors. New signatures crop up routinely, such as the recent Flower Power (featuring goat’s brain mousse) and Brain Freeze, an ice cream whose ingredients need to be guessed by the guests.

The concept: Anand’s mission is to take guests’ perceptions of fine dining and turn them on their head. Molecular gastronomy, cutting-edge equipment, complex techniques and global influences from the international kitchen team all play a part in the creation of the menu, served exclusively to 28 diners each night across two sittings.

What about the drinks? Anand’s partner in wine, director of operations and head sommelier Vladimir Kojic, again has the keys to the cellar, which focuses heavily on natural and biodynamic bins, predominantly from Europe. There’s also a bar featuring small-batch spirits and artisanal mixers. 

Booking tips: You can only book online, with the reservation diary open monthly. A few days before the booking, diners receive a questionnaire to complete. Among the questions are requests for the guest’s favourite band, their favourite swear word and position of choice from the Karma Sutra. It’s a not-so-subtle hint at the irreverence of the experience; those of delicate disposition need not apply.

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