World Gourmet Festival 2024 in Bangkok raises the bar with addition of mixologists

Bangkok has always been a place where the spiritual is balanced by the earthly.

The city is bejewelled with hundreds of temples from humble pagodas to grand complexes. Just as strong as any religious belief, however, is the Thai emphasis on sanuk, the idea that life should be enjoyable.

The city's enduring commitment to joie de vivre will be alive and well at the forthcoming 24th instalment of the World Gourmet Festival, which brings added fun to the chef's tables in the shape of an enhanced mixology programme for this year's edition.

This year’s grand showcase — which will take place at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel from Sep 24 to Sep 29 — will feature the star power of 16 globally acclaimed chefs, boasting a collective 30 Michelin stars, alongside guest bartenders from Asia’s and the World’s 50 Best Bars. 

“We’re excited to elevate this year’s festival by welcoming world-class mixologists alongside our extraordinary lineup of Michelin-starred chefs,” said Mark O’Sullivan, vice president of F&B Asia for Minor Hotels.

“It not only enriches the experience for our guests but also highlights Bangkok's rise as a top-tier global destination for fine dining and innovative mixology. This blend of culinary and cocktail artistry captures the essence of Bangkok as a hub of creativity and taste.”

Complementing the culinary line-up is a stellar cast of guest shift bartenders from Asia's and the World’s 50 Best Bars, who will be taking over the hotel’s Aqua Bar every night throughout the event.

Guest bartenders include Colin Chia from Nutmeg & Clove, Singapore; Jon Lee from Penrose, Kuala Lumpur; Raiza Carbejo from Agite Club, Spain; Elizabeth Bello and Bernardo Jimenez from Tlecan, Mexico and Michito Kaneko from Lamp Bar, Japan.

Representing Bangkok is Niks Anuman from G.O.D Bangkok. Anuman, the creative force behind a string of venues in the Thai capital including Teens of Thailand, Asia Today, and Tax, believes the enhanced focus on bars reflects the innovation at play on Asia's cocktail scene.

“As anyone who has been to this part of the world knows, Asia has one of the most thrilling bar scenes on the planet, with mixologists who fuse local ingredients with time-tested traditions and innovative techniques,” he said. “It's thrilling to be part of this groundbreaking year at the World Gourmet Festival, where mixology is finally taking centre stage alongside the culinary world, and I can’t wait to surprise guests with what we have in store.”

Kicking off this year's World Gourmet Festival is the glittering gala dinner, featuring an exclusive six-course menu, each dish prepared by one of the chefs. Representing a diverse array of cuisines from Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia and beyond, each guest chef will host an exclusive dining event at Anantara Siam's signature restaurants.

This year’s lineup features some of the world’s most celebrated Michelin-starred chefs, including three-star German chef Thomas Buhner of La Vie by Thomas Buhner in Taipei, Mark Donald from The Glenturret Restaurant in Scotland, Eric Raty from Arbor in Hong Kong, Henrique Sa Pessoa from Alma in Lisbon, and Sang Hoon Degeimbre from L’Air du Temps in Belgium, which emphasises sustainable gastronomy.

Chef Jimmy Lim from JL Studio in Taiwan will provide another Lion City connection at the festival with a curated selection of his modern Singaporean cuisine. Patissier extraordinaire Wei Loon Tan from Malaysia will also be present to host exclusive afternoon tea sessions, showcasing his mastery of modern French pastry, sugar art and chocolate displays.

“Bangkok is a culinary powerhouse, and the World Gourmet Festival showcases this brilliantly by bringing together some of the world's most innovative chefs,” said Raty of Hong Kong’s Arbor. “It's a rare and exciting opportunity for us to come together, exchange ideas, and cook alongside a diverse and gifted group of chefs in this vibrant city. I'm truly honoured to be part of this inspiring culinary celebration.”

For a better cause, a portion of every dinner ticket sold and proceeds from the auctions, which take place throughout the World Gourmet Festival, will be donated to the Foundation for the Welfare of Rajavithi-Girls’ Home Under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawali that provides quality education, medical care and life skills training for disadvantaged young girls across Thailand.

On Sep 27 and Sep 28, in an extension to the festival’s main programme, Anantara Siam’s sister property in Chiang Mai and Anantara’s signature Bangkok dinner cruise, Loy Pela Voyages, will host exclusive dinners by two renowned chefs. Enrico Marmo from Balzi Rossi in Italy will present his take on Italian cuisine at Anantara Chiang Mai Resort, while Portuguese maestro Louis Anjos will offer his unique culinary vision at Loy Pela Voyages.

For reservation, please visit the World Gourmet Festival 2024 website.