Anne-Sophie Pic at Le Normandie Bangkok

Bangkok, Thailand, October 13, 2025 / TRAVELINDEX / Anne-Sophie Pic, the world’s most Michelin-starred French female chef, ushers in a new chapter of culinary excellence in Bangkok.

Anne-Sophie Pic is renowned for her bold vision and pioneering approach to gastronomy. Guided by her philosophy of Suffusion, a style that reveals itself through delicate aromatic layers and profound connections between ingredients, she has brought a fresh perspective to French cuisine for a new era.

At Restaurant Pic in Valence, honoured with three Michelin stars every year since 2007, she continues the legacy of her father Jacques Pic and her grandfather André Pic, both three-Michelin-starred chefs. The restaurant was also named Best Restaurant in the World by Tripadvisor in its 2024 Best of the Best ranking, a distinction that reflects her enduring influence on the culinary world.

HONOURING THE PAST, EMBRACING THE FUTURE

First opened in 1958 atop the Tower Wing, then one of Thailand’s tallest buildings, Le Normandie was the country’s first French fine dining restaurant and has long been cherished by discerning guests and world travellers. It is also the first French restaurant in Thailand to be recognised by Les Grandes Tables du Monde.

The arrival of Anne-Sophie Pic marks the continuation of a story rooted in personal ties and lasting impressions. Her connection with Thailand has deepened over decades. In 1998 she cooked at Le Normandie for the first time during a gastronomic week that left an indelible mark. There she discovered not only a restaurant steeped in history but also one that her father Jacques Pic had admired forty years earlier.

Today that connection comes full circle as she returns to write a new chapter in its legacy. “I firmly believe that cuisine is a universal language, a space where cultures meet. Opening a new chapter at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, an iconic institution that embodies elegance and refinement, is an adventure that truly excites me. I look forward to creating an experience where French gastronomy engages in a dialogue with the vibrant energy of Thai culture.” — Anne-Sophie Pic

ANNE-SOPHIE PIC’S CREATIVE CUISINE: SUFFUSION

Anne-Sophie Pic’s cuisine is defined by quiet elegance and a devotion to awakening the senses. Nature is her constant muse, where every ingredient — particularly the vegetal world — becomes a source of inspiration, guiding her towards creations both delicate and bold.

At the heart of her artistry lies the philosophy of Suffusion. It is not a technique but a way of thinking, an aromatic framework where flavours blossom through marination, infusion, maceration and smoking. Layer by layer, aromas unfold and intertwine in subtle harmony, revealing compositions that are at once surprising and deeply evocative.

For Bangkok, Anne-Sophie Pic has chosen to showcase some of her emblematic creations, like Hokkaido Sea Urchin, Chocolate Alveole or the celebrated Les Berlingots ©ASP, imagined here with a delicate filling of Camembert, saffron, chamomile and slightly sour tomatoes. The Brittany Blue Lobster with red fruits dashi, proposed with seaweed, reflects her enduring admiration for Asia. Another highlight, Wild Sea Bass and Caviar, pays tribute to the legendary dish created by Jacques Pic, elevating the hot and cold contrast of sea bass and caviar with the refinement of champagne sauce.

From the land, Anne-Sophie Pic presents a Charolais Beef Fillet infused with Thai black garlic and smoked vanilla, a dish of profound depth and subtle spice.

To close, a refined sweet note: White Lotus Millefeuille. This reinterpretation of her classic millefeuille blossoms like a lotus flower. Its rose petal tuiles, vanilla and jasmine flower cloud-like cream are delicately accented with Thai ginger flower. A dessert that beautifully bridges French artistry and Thai symbolism.

Upon arrival at the restaurant, guests are invited to discover these creations at the bar, where they may savour cocktails while enjoying a breathtaking view of the Chao Phraya River.

The Creative Beverage Menu, available in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic selections, offers drinks meticulously crafted to capture the essence of each ingredient, harmonising colours and aromas in perfect balance. Among the signatures is Brume, a blend of Calvados and osmanthus with a subtle coffee note, and the Genmaicha Collins, which layers roasted green tea with lemongrass, kaffir lime and matcha for a vegetal, lightly spicy character.

Pairings extend to the menu itself: roasted green tea with kombu cordial and sakura leaves accompanies Hokkaido Sea Urchin, while oolong and chamomile are matched with Les Berlingots ©ASP.

A REIMAGINED SPACE: DIALOGUE OF HERITAGE AND MODERNITY

Anne-Sophie Pic at Le Normandie has been entrusted to Humbert & Poyet, the celebrated architectural duo whose work has redefined spaces across the world. For the first time they turn their gaze to fine dining, a commission that unites one of France’s most visionary chefs with one of Asia’s most legendary hotels. Their task was as ambitious as it was delicate: to preserve the soul of a place steeped in history while imagining a future where heritage and modernity converse with ease. The result is a setting that feels both familiar and surprising, intimate yet expansive, respectful of its past and alive with new possibilities.

French elegance and Thai cultural richness meet in an architectural language that is refined, discreet and deeply contemporary. The design celebrates noble materials and local artistry, from fabrics by Jim Thompson that echo centuries of Thai weaving to sculptural furnishings framed by lacquered wood arches. A palette of soft beige and golden tones creates a warm glow, while peony embroideries, a tribute to Chef Pic’s favourite flower, mirror a sculpted plaster bas-relief, their details unfolding slowly like the layers of a story.

Textures, patterns and materials are orchestrated with precision, giving the restaurant a quiet energy that reveals itself gradually rather than at first glance.

By day, the bar opens onto sweeping views of the Chao Phraya River, alive with brightness and movement. By night, the same space transforms into a cocoon of shadows and reflections, an atmosphere that invites guests to linger. Anchoring it all is a striking sculpture by Maxime Lhermet, a work that speaks to Anne-Sophie Pic’s creative spirit, the identity of Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, and the richness of Thai culture.

Lighting, designed as a play between organic and mineral forms, extends this dialogue into every corner, ensuring the journey is as much felt as it is seen.

“In Bangkok I am surrounded by a team whose journey has been deeply intertwined with my own. Tamaki Kobayashi, who has stood by my side for nearly 14 years, now leads the kitchen at Anne-Sophie Pic at Le Normandie with a brilliance I have long trusted. Alongside her, Edwin Cochet, Head Sommelier, brings a thoughtful vision of wine that enriches the dialogue of every dish. I am also delighted to welcome Yuko Kuwayama, Pastry Chef, whose artistry carries both delicacy and precision.” — Anne-Sophie Pic

A BRIGADE OF EXCELLENCE

TAMAKI KOBAYASHI CHEF DE CUISINE

Tamaki Kobayashi’s culinary journey began in Japan at the Tsuji Culinary Institute, before she travelled to France to deepen her training. It was there that she joined Maison Pic in Valence and discovered her affinity for Anne-Sophie Pic’s philosophy of balance and aromatic layering. Her path then led her to Joël Robuchon in Tokyo and later to Lausanne, where she contributed to the opening of Pic au Beau Rivage Palace in 2009.

In 2020 she returned to Valence, taking her place once more at the heart of the three-Michelin-starred Maison Pic. Known for her precision, quiet strength and dedication to the craft of French cuisine, she rose steadily within the team. Today, as Chef at Anne-Sophie Pic at Le Normandie, she brings this depth of experience to Bangkok, where she executes Anne-Sophie Pic’s cuisine, shaping a dining experience defined by refinement, artistry and rhythm.

Opening Hours
Wednesday to Sunday
Lunch 12 to 3:30 PM
Dinner 6:30 to 11:30 PM

Menu Selections
À La Carte
Lunch Menu – 3 Courses
Voyage Menu – 7 Courses