His imaginative, soulful cooking is deeply rooted in French tradition and gastronomical know-how. | After several prestigious posts in the US, Wilfrid moved back to Thailand as the Executive Head Chef on the opening team of Blue by Alain Ducasse. In its first year of operation, the restaurant was awarded one Michelin star. Seasonal ingredients, respect for the products in his dishes, keeping diners happy and the constant search for perfection are the pillars of Chef Wilfrid Hocquet's menus at Blue by Alain Ducasse, the Michelin-starred restaurant at Iconsiam, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok Growing up in the Montpellier region in the south of France, Wilfrid's first job aged 20 was with Chefs Jacques and Laurent Pourcel in their three-Michelin star Le Jardin des Sens. Then he headed to Monte Carlo to work for the iconic Louis XV-Alain Ducasse à l'Hôtel de Paris (three Michelin stars) in Monaco. Later he moved to Thailand, staying for two years, first as the Executive Chef of D'Sens and then Quince, both well-known for their French and Mediterranean menus. After several prestigious posts in the US, Wilfrid moved back to Thailand as the Executive Head Chef on the opening team of Blue by Alain Ducasse. In its first year of operation, the restaurant was awarded one Michelin star. His imaginative, soulful cooking is deeply rooted in French tradition and gastronomical know-how. Over the years, he has developed a unique ability to marry premium French products and local delicacies, transforming them into extraordinary works of art on the plate. With seafood accounting for up to 40% of the items on Blue's menu, Chef Wilfred has to be particularly careful in selecting the quality of its source, supply and sustainability Interestingly, he relies on one supplier not only for every seafood product imported from France but also for the majority of seafood used at Blue-Thammachart Seafood. Building trust between a chef and his most important suppliers is a key factor in a restaurant's success. We have a good working relationship with Thammachart and can rely on them for regular deliveries of quality products, twice a week, which is absolutely vital," says Chef Wilfred. "They have good contacts overseas so can give us very useful advice on the availability of seafood according to seasons and possible price changes, which is so important for a restaurant like Blue as we try to stay close to products' seasonality. "They are a company that looks after their customers.' Blue enjoys a high approval rating from its guests, sixty percent of whom are Thais while the rest are expats and tourists. The restaurant retains its Michelin star in the latest edition. |
"I look into the complete supply chain, from original source and sustainability to actual delivery, checking things like correct temperature during transportation." One of his key partners here in Bangkok is Thammachart Seafood, known for its top quality, sustainably sourced seafood, which supplies Chef Gerard's kitchens with a long list of imported products, including fresh seafood, oysters and wild cod from Norway, langoustines from Denmark and sea trout from France.
Other quality items from Thammachart Seafood include Blue lobster from Brittany in France, Dutch shellfish and French caviar. The background of each product is carefully assessed by Chef Gerard. "I look into the complete supply chain, from original source and sustainability to actual delivery, checking things like correct temperature during transportation." Chef Gerard says he likes working with Thammachart Seafood because of its reliability. "They deliver twice a week, which is the same as the best companies in Europe. This is important for a world-class restaurant." The feedback from diners at Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu has been extremely positive, he says. "The quality of the scafood products we use is our top priority, not the price."
By Colin Hastings With record-breaking land prices and beach houses costing hundreds of millions of baht, it's no wonder this stretch of coast is being dubbed Billionaire Street Are we talking about one of Thailand's fabulous international resorts like Phuket, Samui or Ko Tao? No, this is Dongtan Beach, sometimes also known as Pattaya Park Beach, a surprisingly delightful and still under-commercialized beach strip situated between Pattaya and Jomtien that has caught the eye of shrewd investors in recent years and is now captivating visitors who in the past bypassed the area on their way to its two much better known beaches. Despite escalating land prices, all small ocean front lots have now been sold and only one larger piece of land is still available - but you've got to be in the multi-millionaire class to buy it. On a nearby plot, a luxurious private pool villa is being constructed with an anticipated price tag of more than 300 million Baht. Although Dongtan Beach is actually a continuation of Jomtien Beach, the main road connecting Pattaya's Thappraya Road and Jomtien skirts around the area, traditionally leaving it somewhat isolated and overlooked. It didn't help that Dongtan's beach road was for years closed at its far end, deterring visitors from exploring further. But that all changed a while back when the north end of the road was opened up and linked to the busy Phratumnak area of Pattaya. To date, the road sees little through traffic and parking is easy. Dongtan's beaches are sandy, generally quiet and shaded by trees. It's a popular spot for family picnics and for watching often dramatic sunsets over Ko Larn. There are safe swimming areas and the presence of life guards makes it ideal for children. The reputation Dongtan once had as Pattaya's exclusively gay beach' is long gone and irrelevant. Although Dongtan Beach is actually a continuation of Jomtien Beach, the main road connecting Pattaya's Thappraya Road and Jomtien skirts around the area, traditionally leaving it somewhat isolated and overlooked.
Passionate about rock climbing, fan of extreme sports, martial art, distance running, urban cycling, open water diving, yin yoga and more. Why this Brit loves Thailand
Giving happiness is a recognition that we are all the same in our desire to be happy, healthy and safe and that giving happiness to others leads to a happy life.
What is the mission of the Gift of Happiness Foundation? Our mission is to ensure that needy children and families in Thailand are provided with the resources and opportunities needed to sustain a meaningful, healthy, and happy life. We unconditionally provide free happy events, plus tons of essential goods to thousands of people who normally have very little to be happy about! We seek to expand the network of individuals we serve while forming additional collaborative partnerships with NGOs, schools, and agencies. We work to improve need identification in Thailand and the process of resource allocation. We are a non-religious and non-political charitable organization. Tell us about yourself: I was born in a caravan in Manchester, UK, in 1952. I had three sisters, sadly all deceased. Mum and dad worked 12-hour shifts in factories in the mill town of Bolton, Lancashire. I went to a large urban secondary modern school where I learned With over two decades of experience, Kavin Intertrade has managed more than 150 trade shows and owns a portfolio of 10 premium, industryspecific trade and consumer events.
Kavin Kittiboonya, Managing Director of Kavin Intertrade Co, Ltd said, "Established in 1999, the company has experienced unprecedented growth and success, acclamations from industry leaders, government agencies, and local and international associations. We are proud to be part of Thailand's exhibition industry that generates Bt53 billion and creates more than 43,000 jobs yearly." Based in the heart of Bangkok, the company employs 26 highly experienced and dedicated staff. "The team takes great care of each step from preparation, conceptualization, execution, promotion, and facilitation. Our approach to business is unique, emphasizing local roots and global reach. Our intention is to create energetic, educational, and invigorating environments to achieve business goals of providing a business platform between sellers and buyers," said Mr. Kavin, Kavin Intertrade's up-andcoming show is unique - it is a 3-combined international trade show under one roof: 'One-stopshop: food service, hotel, retail, and franchise solutions, which will be held on October 20-23, 2022, at BITEC, Bangkok The first show is the 16th Thailand Retail, Food & Hospitality Services (TRAFS) - Thailand's NO.1 show of equipment and raw materials for restaurants, cafes, F&B, and food services. The show is an excellent platform for hoteliers, restaurant managers, café owners, and those in food services to purchase or source new equipment and raw material, both food and drinks, from more than 100 Thais and international exhibitors, with more than 7,000 items worldwide. With support from the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), together with hotel and food industry associations, the ThaiItalian Chamber of Commerce, and leading food schools, the organiser has crafted many unique activities that are free to join so visitors can get the most out of their visits, such as Thai and Italian's food and drinks demonstrations, seminars led by Over the years, many books have been written about the Mercy Centre, the renowned foundation overseen by Fr. Joseph H. Maier and his team that helps poor children and families in Bangkok's slums.
A recent addition to the list, and definitely one of the best, is 'Mercy's Heroes' by Tom Crowley, a Vietnam veteran battling with PTSD who left a successful business career in Asia to work as a volunteer in Bangkok's biggest slum in Klong Toey. What sets Tom's book apart is the way he adroitly contrasts his military adventures, including being wounded in action, with his bitter-sweet but mostly rewarding experiences with the foundation. Both portray a strug. gle for survival. Tom is an excellent writer and 'Mercy Heroes' highlights the healing that is to be found in helping others. www.koehlerbooks.com “Even a couple of years ago I’d never have imagined we’d build a house in a field, but that’s what we did” Gareth Marshall is among a growing number of foreigners based in Thailand who have swapped city life in Bangkok for the simple pleasures and empty pastures of Esan, the country’s vast and decidedly rural Northeastern region. Despite obvious challenges and occasional setbacks, the move has proved a great success, with Gareth and his Thai wife Hana building their dream home and working farm in what was once a field with just one tree.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, 49-year-old Gareth first arrived in Thailand in 1996, working initially in a restaurant on Koh Tao. He then taught English at the British Council, and later edited an English language business magazine. For most of the last 15 years, he’s worked at a public relations agency in Bangkok. His Thai wife Hana is originally from the Northeast city of Kalasin. They first met in Bangkok some 13 years ago. Bangkok-based company attracts major brands with its post-production and CGI division By Colin Hastings While Hollywood’s major studios have long recognized Thailand as a great place to make movies because of its dazzling scenery, lower production costs, skilled technicians and state of the art gear and facilities, the country is also home to a slate of smaller production houses that are delivering quality TV commercials and films for leading brands across the globe. One of the most active is Indigo Production, a Bangkok-based outfit launched eleven years ago by veteran advertising executive Adrian Van de Velde. Based in Sukhumvit, Indigo is a “one-stop shop” which incorporates traditional so called ‘live action’ filming with a recently added post-production and CGI (computer generated imagery) division. By doing so they’ve added spectacular cutting-edge 3D animation, to their existing service offering of traditional broadcast tv commercials, documentaries and online content. Its clients include the mainstay FMCG brands under multinational giants Unilever, P&G and Coca-Cola. A global hotel chain with 1000s of properties worldwide. And a growing number of local and regional brands across Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. One such brand is Nutifood Vietnam a flavoured milk and yogurt producer. This project gave Indigo the perfect opportunity to launch their CGI Division. “As it turns out, our timing to launch ‘Indigo Post’ was remarkably prescient. While most of the industry couldn’t shoot live action because of the rolling pandemic restrictions, we didn’t skip a beat.” says Adrian Van de Velde. During the Covid pandemic, the company succeeded in overcoming the lockdown restrictions on several live action filming projects by going 100% by remote. |