PLAYING WITH PERFECTION
Very few subjects can spark heated debate like how to cook traditional recipes. Anywhere in the world granny’s recipes are sacrosanct, handed down unaltered from generation to generation. The foods people eat are embraced by a nation and identify both the people and their country
Yet chefs all around Asia have been tinkering with the classics from their respective cuisines. Unsurprisingly, their efforts have been met with scepticism and even hostility but have also been praised for their innovation; their restaurants have won recognition from the Michelin Guide and the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant List or have earned the stamp of approval from the likes of Secret Tables among many others.
Modern reinterpretation doesn’t mean recklessly toying with food however. Chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn of modern Thai restaurant Le Du in Bangkok cautions against changing dishes just for the sake of changing them. “Before I put a dish on the menu it has to look nice, taste Thai and be better than the original,” he states unequivocally. “If you make it worse, there is no reason, no point.”
World Travel Magazine talked to Chef Ton and other chefs around Asia about their innovative approach to traditional cuisines. They shared their
