The Michelin Guide has today (12 November) announced the star awards of The Michelin Guide 2020 Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Phang-nga. It’s the year of two stars surprise with two Thai restaurants joining the two-star category―the first time in the world the Thai eateries are lauded with two Michelin stars.
The great honor goes to celebrity chef Chumpol Jangprai’s R.Haarn, the elegant Thai restaurant that champions royal court-style cuisine, as well as Sorn, the fine-dining trailblazer of Southern Thai fare.
Progressive Thai restaurant 80/20 led by chef Napol Jantraget and Saki Hoshino makes its debut in the list and is newly crowned with one star, as well as Le Bua's fine-dining den Chef's Table, Chef Andy Yang's modern street food restaurant Table 38, and renowned Thai eatery Khao by chef Vichit Mukura.
It is the first year that The Michelin Guide expands to Chiang Mai, the capital of Northern Thailand. However, none of the restaurants there was awarded a star.
Pru, the fine-dining mainstay in Phuket at Trisala Resort, remains the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the resort town.
As expected, the closure of Gaggan and L'Atelier de Jöel Robuchon cause both restaurants to be dropped from the guide. However, chef Gaggan Anand has recently unveiled the new venue, which this time takes after his full name Gaggan Anand, tucked deep in Soi Sukhumvit 31.
Like the two previous years, Thailand still doesn't have a three Michelin-starred restaurant, Michelin's greatest honor.
It is also the first year that The Michelin Guide announces the recipients for Bib Gourmand distinction at the press conference.
For the 2020 edition of The Michelin Guide Thailand, it features a total of 282 restaurants, with 29 of them receiving Michelin stars, while 94 of them are recognized with Bib Gourmand (wallet-friendly eateries that offer high-quality food).
Thailand is the 29th country in the world to have a self-titled Michelin Guide, one of the world’s most respected dining guides, known for star ratings (from 1 to 3 stars) given by anonymous and independent inspectors following five criteria: (1) quality of ingredients (2) mastery of cooking methods (3) chef’s personality (4) value for money and (5) consistency. After the first year in 2017 which highlighted restaurants and eateries in Bangkok, the third year has gone beyond the capital to explore the budding food scene in the tourist hotspots in Phuket, Phang-nga and Chiang Mai, as a 4.1 million-dollar effort by Tourism Authority of Thailand to attract food-loving tourists.
Here is the full list of Michelin-starred and Bib Gourmand-awarded restaurants in Bangkok, Phuket, Phang-nga and Chiang Mai edition:
2 Stars
- Le Normandie
- Mezzaluna
- R.Haan
- Sorn
- Suhring
1 Star
- Bo.lan
- Canvas
- Chef's Table
- Chim by Siam Wisdom
- Element
- Gaa
- Ginza Sushi Ichi
- J'Aime by Jean Michel Lorain
- Jay Fai
- Khao
- Le Du
- Methavalai Sorndaeng
- Nahm
- Paste
- Pru
- Ruen Panya
- Saawaan
- Saneh Jaan
- Savelberg
- Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin
- Suan Thip
- Table 38
- Upstairs by Mikkeller
- 80/20