Thitid Tassanakajohn

Michelin Chef

“To start in Malaysia, I want to start in Penang.”

Born and raised in a Thai-Chinese household, Thitid Tassanakajohn (Chef Ton) was initially destined to thrive in a stable banking career after graduating from one of Thailand’s best universities – Chulalongkorn University with a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Interestingly, instead of becoming a high-flyer banking professional, he is now internationally-acclaimed as the rising young chef who owns and runs one of Thailand’s most successful culinary empires, consisting of more than 10 restaurants globally – including “Le Du” and “Nusara” which was ranked No.1 and No. 3 in the 2023’s edition of “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants”.

Chef Ton defied familial expectations when he traded his investment banking career to pursue culinary in New York, training at the Culinary Institute of America and graduating top of his class. He then went on to work in several Michelin-starred establishments to hone his culinary skills, including Eleven Madison Park, The Modern and Jean Georges.

After returning to Thailand in 2013, Chef Ton challenged public perception towards Thai food and Thai ingredients, breaking the stereotype and conventional understanding as “cheap street food”. He elevated the Thai culinary landscape by sharing and highlighting Thailand’s rich medley of cultures and flavours through fine dining.

By combining the inspiration from his grandparent’s cooking and his years of culinary experience, he started “Le Du” (Thai word for “season”) – a fine-dine restaurant offering a four or six-course tasting menu with an emphasis on culinary creations made from locally sourced seasonal produce. These ingredients are weaved with modern culinary techniques to creatively accentuate the Thai flavours, leaving guests an unforgettable dining impression.

Meanwhile, to add-on to his current portfolio of restaurants in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines, Chef Ton will soon debut his fourth international restaurant in Penang, a destination affectionately known as Malaysia’s food paradise. This venture – “Sood by Chef Ton’’ will be housed in Farquhar Mansion that is nestled in the heart of George Town.

According to Chef Ton, this restaurant is designed to be unique with a “fun dining” concept and will be reflected across its dishes, ambience and service. It will serve Thai cuisine with a twist, particularly localized to suit the likings and palette of the locals.

“To start in Malaysia, I want to start in Penang. It is very close to my heart, and I have been travelling back and forth to Penang for the past 9 years. I enjoy the food, the people, and I also have many friends here,” he said.

Under the stewardship of Chef Ton, this restaurant will also see close collaboration with local culinary talents, adding more flavours into Penang’s illustrious gastronomy scene. Nonetheless, “Sood by Chef Ton” targets to welcome patrons in October 2024 with more than 30 dishes, harbouring hope to write another success story and make it a hallmark of culinary excellence.