Ian Chalermkittichai

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Credit: @ Ian Chalermkittichai

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Created: June 06, 2012

About Me

Chef Ian Chalermkittichai’s path to culinary success started from very humble beginnings in Bangkok. After completing high school, Ian moved to London to study English with no intention of becoming a chef. Fate seemed to have other ideas though — while working part time at the Waldorf Hotel THF, the hotel chef saw something of great promise in young Ian. Before long, the hotel sponsored him to attend culinary school in London. He subsequently completed his culinary studies in Sydney, Australia and then spent his years of apprenticeship absorbing French fine dining cuisine at the famous Claude’s. In 1993, Ian decided to return to his homeland and work for the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok (formerly The Regent) as a demi chef. He quickly rose through the ranks while mastering various cuisines and winning acclaim in multiple international culinary competitions. His career path in the Four Seasons organization took him to culinary exchanges around the world where he was able to further perfect his talent and craft. At restaurants and hotels such as Georges V in Paris, French Laundry in Napa Valley, El Bulli in Spain, and Four Seasons Chinzan-so in Tokyo, chef Chalermkittichai was free to fully spread his culinary wings. In 1998, Ian became the first Thai national in the world to become executive chef of a five-star hotel property. In 2001, The Bangkok Post dubbed him "The Golden Boy." He began hosting the weekly cooking show Chef Mue Tong (The Golden Hand Chef), which presently can be seen in over 70 countries. In 2004, chef Chalermkittichai relocated to New York and created Kittichai Restaurant, in 2004. While Chef Chalermkittichai was at the helm, Kittichai Restaurant appeared in Food & Wine magazine as Best New Asian Restaurants 2005, Travel & Leisure magazine as Best New American Restaurants 2004, as well as appearing in Harper’s Baazar, Vogue, GQ, New York Magazine, New York Times, Vogue Traveler, Gourmet Traveler, and Vanity Fair, amongst numerous others. In 2008, he left Kittichai Restaurant, formed his international food & beverage management and consulting firm, Cuisine Concept Co., Ltd., and opened the highly acclaimed Restaurant Murmuri in Barcelona, Spain. Currently his Cuisine Concept Co., Ltd. has some of the most recognizable international hotels, restaurants, and food companies on its client roster. In February 2011, chef Chalermkittichai opened Ember Room, a progressive Thai comfort food restaurant, with Chace Restaurant Group in New York City, and in June 2011 he became a partner in Spot Dessert Bar in New York City. Also, in December 2011, chef’s cookbook in Thai, Chef Ian’s Kitchen Revealed, won the prestigious Gourmand Best Chef Cookbook award in Thailand. In January 2012 chef debuted to a massive fan following as one of the permanent Iron Chefs on the Iron Chef Thailand television show. Currently in development are restaurants in New York and chef Chalermkittichai’s first cookbook for the English-language.

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