Scents and Sensibility

The sun is setting over Bangkok’s mighty Chao Phraya, lighting up the sky in an explosion of red and gold. Inside Le Normandie at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, which overlooks the River of Kings from five floors up, staff are preparing for evening service as the embers of the day’s light add another layer to the restaurant’s exquisite interiors from designers Humbert & Poyet.

Le Normandie was Thailand’s first ever French fine dining restaurant when it opened in 1958 and quickly came to define exceptional culinary experiences. The space has been beautifully revitalised to welcome a giant of French haute cuisine, Anne-Sophie Pic, as it embarks on a new chapter.

Chef Pic leads five restaurants across four countries with nine Michelin stars between them, a remarkable galaxy that means that she has more stars to her name than any other female chef. Here she reveals her love for Thailand, its people and ingredients and introduces her chef, Tamaki Kobayashi, and the food that they will craft together.

HOW WILL ‘SUFFUSION’ MANIFEST ITSELF IN BANGKOK?

My culinary philosophy of ‘Suffusion’, the guiding thread of my cuisine, is built upon a set of techniques designed to create a true dialogue between ingredients. It is about infusing each dish with flavour while preserving the intrinsic character of every element. I have borrowed from the world of perfumery the technique of enfleurage, a delicate, cold infusion process that gently extracts the purest essence of an ingredient without any heat, capturing its most authentic aromas. The result is a method that preserves the freshness and subtlety of flavours, unveiling a true aromatic epiphany.

WHAT, FOR YOU, ARE THE PARTICULAR PERFUMES OF BANGKOK?

The scents of Bangkok are deeply intertwined with my memories and my passion for Thai culinary culture. They are bold and complex, featuring aromas such as galangal, which carries both peppery and citrusy notes, and green curry, simultaneously spicy and enveloping. I also think of the remarkable plant diversity I discovered here in Bangkok: new aromatic herbs, tropical fruits and vegetables such as bilimbi and the seepweed Suaeda maritima, bringing a fascinating depth to dishes.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CHEF, TAMAKI KOBAYASHI

I am delighted to have Tamaki Kobayashi by my side to lead the kitchen at Le Normandie. She first joined my restaurant, Pic in Valence, as an intern 14 years ago and, through her dedication and talent, rose through the ranks to become my deputy head chef at our three-Michelin-star establishment. Tamaki embodies discipline, meticulous attention to detail and precision, all qualities essential to guiding a brigade with both rigour and harmony. Her talent and passion for gastronomy shine through in every dish she creates. Our collaboration finds its full meaning today in this new and inspiring shared endeavour.