A Tasty Thai Journey

Inspired by his travels and culinary exploration the length and breadth of Thailand, Chef Krit of basil, the Thai fine dining restaurant at the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, takes diners on a "Thai Journey" this September to discover the incredible diversity of ingredients and cooking techniques. Each highly accomplished dish reinvents a regional classic in a thoroughly modern way yet remains distinctly Thai.

The culinary adventure begins along the coastal regions of central Thailand with horseshoe crab roe fritter and green mango sorbet. In Thailand, the roe is considered a delicacy but is less well-known to foreigners. Chef Krit’s second dish of spicy raw beef carpaccio with cumin leaves adds a new and complex flavor profile to the raw meat dish with his skillful and assertive use of spices. Fish sauce, an essential seasoning in almost all local recipes, is also used here for flavour and to confidently establish the identity of this deliciously tender carpaccio as Thai. Likewise, Chef Krit fearlessly reworks another iconic Central Thailand dish with his tom yum of tiger prawn and prawn head extract with rich coconut meat. The bold flavours of this delightful soup are created using a purée of prawn heads and fatty coconut meat, a rare ingredient highly prized for its thick creaminess and rich taste. Next, the chef takes diners to southern Thailand with fried grouper infused with turmeric served with seaweed salad followed by pork crackling accompanied by a sweet grape salad which acts as a delicious counterpoint to the crisp and salty rinds.

Heading north and the region Chef Krit considers the best for barbecue meats, he deconstructs the famous hanglay to great effect.  Instead of the traditional Burmese-influenced pork belly curry, he  glazes masala tea smoked ribs with a blend of hanglay spices. Intensely aromatic, the ingenious dish is served with a piquant slaw of green mango and pickled garlic emulsion. Back in Bangkok he uses treasured childhood memories of eating snacks from street carts as inspiration for his green guava sorbet with grated salted dried plum and chili flakes. A rest-stop on the journey, the dish acts as a vibrant palette cleanser. Continuing on, murex in curry sauce and climbing wattle leaves brings together two strong yet complementary ingredients, murex sea snail from the Gulf of Thailand and pungent wattle fronds to great effect. The new 9-course “Thai Journey” set menu ends with pickled carissa berry tart. Two food preserving techniques are used on the local foraged fruit; light pickling and jamming. Added to a pastry crust, the mixture is topped with coconut ice cream.

Chef Krit studied at the prestigious California School of Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Bleu where he learnt French technique. He has worked at Bouchon Bistro in Beverley Hills, California, owned by 3-star Michelin Chef Thomas Keller and in top kitchens in Japan. It’s in these two countries that he was introduced to the modern techniques and artistic presentation that have come to define his unique style.

You can join Chef Krit as he embarks on a creative culinary adventure around Thailand; an extraordinary journey for all the senses.

The 9-course “Thai Journey” set menu is THB 1,950++, 7-course set dinner at THB 1,750++ or choose your own favourite dishes for a la carte dining. 

basil also offers a selection of kombucha cocktails created with Chalong Bay Thai rum and perfect for pairing with Chef Krit’s modern cuisine. Blends include kombucha Mango Delight, Peach Lover, and Kee Mao Vada Gimlet at just THB 250++ per glass.

To book a table contact: 02 649 8366 or email [email protected]