Penfolds Chief Winemaker named Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine Winemaker of the Year 2014
By Elizabeth Wong
W Bangkok’s signature restaurant, The Kitchen Table sits on the sixth floor and the interior décor for the restaurant is inspired by a tale of a crocodile that kidnaps a child and is slaughtered by a hero. The outside walls of the restaurant features an art installation made using barb wires depicting the silhouette of Bangkok’s buildings and temples. “We serve the buffet breakfast in the morning and we turn into an all-day dining bistro with international options including Indian and Thai food,” says Prapaipit Sathaporn. Culinary director of W Bangkok is Korean-born Chef Steven Kim (35) who has been cooking for the past 16 years simply because it is his passion. He grew up in Vancouver and sharpened his skills in top hotels across Asia before finally ending up in Bangkok. “Right before I came here, I was in Phuket, and I thought why not: Bangkok is a well-known city with a strong culture and as a chef, working in Southeast Asia is one of the biggest goals. Recently revamping the menu to showcase some new techniques, Chef Kim adds, “The locals here tend to follow trends where it grows big but dies quickly. For us, it’s exciting, but at the same time, it’s challenging because we have to keep updating ourselves. There are a lot of good local chefs doing their own thing and it inspires us as well.”
