Cover Tatler Best Takeovers At Maa-Lai Library saw Chumpol Jangprai of Thailand’s R-Haan with Andy Huynh of Oku from Regent Phu Quoc in Vietnam
Tatler Best Takeovers At Maa-Lai Library saw Chumpol Jangprai of Thailand’s R-Haan with Andy Huynh of Oku from Regent Phu Quoc in Vietnam
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One week, twenty-nine events and countless stories told through food and drink, the Tatler Best Takeovers returned to Bangkok to prove that collaboration is the region’s truest luxury
It began, as good things often do in Bangkok, with the smell of smoke and the sound of knives hitting boards. At Maa-Lai Library, a dining room tucked high above in the Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok, Chumpol Jangprai of Thailand’s R-Haan stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Andy Huynh of Oku from Regent Phu Quoc in Vietnam. One worked with the measured precision of the royal Thai kitchen; the other with the light, calibrated lines of Japanese-French minimalism. Together they set the tone for the week ahead, the start of Tatler Best Takeovers 2025, seven days that would turn the Thai capital into a citywide conversation about craft and community.
From October 17 to 25, the Tatler Best Takeovers, presented in partnership with Mastercard and Priceless.com, unfolded like a map of possibility. Twenty-nine culinary and mixology events, from elegant tea lounges to cocktail bars and private clubs with live music, drawing in chefs and bartenders from across the region, including Singapore, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Manila, Macau, Bali and Beijing.
See also: What happened at the Tatler Best Awards 2025 in Bangkok
Above The collaboration was a blend of royal Thai cuisine and Japanese-French minimalism
The collaboration was a blend of royal Thai cuisine and Japanese-French minimalism
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Elsewhere, Shaun Ng of Hide and Chele González of Gallery by Chele turned Maa-Lai Library into a creative exchange between Kuala Lumpur and Manila, while at Sindhorn Kempinski, Bistrot de la Mer’s Slawomir Kowalik and Tatler Best Rising Star 2025 in the restaurants category for Asia-Pacific, Zhanxu Li of Beijing’s Qu Lang Yuan, merged Mediterranean ease with Chinese structure. Taipei’s Silks House took over The Consul, a private club in collaboration with rapper, singer and songwriter Jackson Wang in Bangkok, for two nights, with chef Max Wo reimagining Cantonese refinement in a space known for its intimacy. Meanwhile, Thierry Drapeau of Signature Bangkok welcomed Bruno Jeong of Mosu Hong Kong and Minchul Kang of Giwakang from Seoul to stage a French-Korean tasting menu at Vie Hotel Bangkok, blending classicism with modern tone.
Shaun Ng of Hide
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From there, the momentum built across the city. On October 23, Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok hosted two ambitious collaborations. At Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin, Zor Tan of Born from Singapore and Vallian Gunawan of Kindling from Jakarta, joined chefs Henrik Yde-Andersen and Chayawee “Berm” Sutcharitchan for an eight-hands dinner exploring the dialogue between Thai, Singaporean and Indonesian cuisines. In the same hotel, Alati’s Phillip Taylor, Mirko Febbrile of Singapore’s Somma and Eelke Plasmeijer of Bali’s Locavore Nxt united for a six-hands lunch and dinner defined by local produce and contemporary finesse.
At Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin, Zor Tan of Born from Singapore and Vallian Gunawan of Kindling from Jakarta, joined chefs Henrik Yde-Andersen and Chayawee “Berm” Sutcharitchan
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Then came the shift from kitchen to bar. On October 20, Canton Disco set the tone with a two-night collaboration featuring Andrew Bull, the legendary DJ behind the original 1980s Hong Kong icon, joined by Seoul’s Louis Eom of Le Chamber and Mason Park of Alice Cheongdam. It was a bridge between eras—disco nostalgia rewritten with modern rhythm.
Andrew Bull with Mason Park of Alice Cheongdam
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From October 23 onwards, the city’s top lounges took over. At The Consul, four of Asia’s most acclaimed bars: Alice Cheongdam (Seoul), Quinary (Hong Kong), Jigger & Pony (Singapore) and The Diplomat (Hong Kong), rotated behind the stick. The contrasts were deliberate. From Antonio Lai’s molecular showmanship and John Nugent’s classical polish to Jigger & Pony’s warmth and precision, each bar left its own fingerprint on the city.
Pei Liu of Under Lab at Firefly Bar at Sindhorn Kempinski
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Over at Canton Disco, collaborations continued with The Diplomat and Tatler Best Rising Star 2025 for the bar category in Asia-Pacific, Pei Liu of Under Lab, alongside Bull on the decks, tracing the evolution of Asia’s cocktail culture from analogue to experimental. Firefly Bar at Sindhorn Kempinski also hosted lively, back-to-back nights featuring Jigger & Pony with Le Chamber on October 23, and Quinary with Under Lab the following evening.
Jonathan Soukdeo, recently crowned Tatler Best Pastry Chef 2025 for Asia-Pacific at Sindhorn Kempinski
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Between services, there was time for a pause. On October 23 and 24, The Butterfly Room and The Lobby Lounge at Sindhorn Kempinski transformed afternoon tea into a study in precision. Jonathan Soukdeo, recently crowned Tatler Best Pastry Chef 2025 for Asia-Pacific, joined Simon Eberhardt to craft an elegant progression of desserts and savouries.
Herlander Fernandes of Mesa by José Avillez
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The series closed on October 25 with Mesa by José Avillez and Mesa Bar, where Herlander Fernandes and Frederick Ma delivered a delicious finale built on Portuguese rhythm and Bangkok exuberance.
If the Tatler Best Awards celebrate achievement, the Tatler Best Takeovers celebrate process: the exchange of knowledge, the testing of boundaries, and the belief that the region’s progress depends on collaboration more than competition.
Tatler Best Takeovers Bangkok is in partnership with Mastercard and Priceless and venue partners Canton Disco, The Consul, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok and VIE Hotel Bangkok - MGallery Collection.
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A storyteller by day and a first-class food devourer by night, Fontaine is the Regional Dining Editor at Tatler Asia, overseeing dining content across all regions and shaping the brand’s editorial voice on food, chefs and culinary culture.
She is also Content Lead for Tatler Best and Co-jury Head for Tatler Best Hong Kong and Macau, guiding the awards’ editorial direction and evaluation process. With over a decade in the lifestyle and media industry spanning London and Hong Kong, she brings a cross-regional perspective to the table.
Follow her on Instagram at @fontimes.
