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44 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: GASTROFILM, © MANDARIN ORIENTAL, CHRIS SCHALKX (2), DOF SKYGROUND
Kaiseki dining at Kinu by Takagi at Mandarin Oriental; opposite, clockwise from centre left: five-storey Potong rises above Chinatown; Chef Pam; in the kitchen at Cantonese eatery Yu Ting Yuan at Four Seasons; Niks Anuman outside his bar Teens of Thailand; an ironic neon piece of art inside another of Anuman’s bars, Asia Today PHOTO © FOUR SEASONS Her Chinese-Thai fusion cuisine is like nothing else in the city – and its international purview is very much in line with other notable restaurants that have turned Bangkok into one of the world’s great cities for dining, from Nordic fare at Villa Franztén to Mexican plates at Ojo. And yet for all the global accolades – Bangkok now has 40 Michelin stars, more than Los Angeles or Rome – the recent history of the city still looms large. As Chef Pam puts it: “You can see a rooster crowing in front of you while gazing up at a tall skyscraper.” This evolution from chaotic backwater to global beacon is one that Bill Bensley, one of the world’s leading hotel designers, has seen firsthand. Not long after graduating from Harvard, Bensley came to Bangkok in 1984. “I remember the walk from the plane to the immigration, across the airport runway, to an open-air hangar where there might have been eight to ten booths under fans,” he says. “I started my own business in Bangkok in 1989, in a parking garage with no windows, but it was free. My Thai friends blew me away with their kindness.” He still calls Bangkok home, and what remains most interesting in the city for him is “that the arts are still alive ... many people can still use their hands to create”. The hotel he designed from tip to toe, The Siam, remains an utterly beguiling urban sanctuary in the residential Dusit district, but the headlines these days are coming by way of a surge of international newcomers, many of which also feature that local artistry Bensley so treasures. Rosewood opened just before the pandemic, and other standout newcomers include The Standard and Soho House, while both Ritz- Carlton and Aman have already started construction on forthcoming hotels. But it’s a new riverside complex housing both Capella and Four Seasons that is making the most headlines. The latter is best for public spaces – great restaurants, one of the world’s best bars, an art gallery and more – but Capella is unbeatable across the city for guest experience. With just 101 rooms, all of which face the slow-moving waters of the Chao Phraya river, the hotel can be very personalised in helping guests plan their days. You can see a rooster crowing in front of you while gazing up at a tall skyscraper “More and more people don’t want to hide away in the city’s hotels – they want to get lost and explore,” says the hotel’s general manager, John Blanco. “They are looking for accidental tourism and things that aren’t available anywhere else.” Some of the private experiences Blanco organises include a multi-hour bar tour with Anuman in Chinatown; a Muay Thai class with champion kickboxer Kru Toom; and a dancing class with a supremely charming yai (Thai grandmother) – among many others. “There are so many different communities across Bangkok,” enthuses Blanco. “You can always find something extraordinary.” CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 45
