Sous Chef Wangchuk travelled to Thailand in August of 2022 to train at the beautiful Chiva-Som in Hua Hin, winner of the ‘Top Destination Spa Resort in the World’ in the Conde Nast Traveler, Readers’ Choice Awards. He tells us about his experience…
Tell us about your travels to Thailand recently
This was my first time on an aeroplane so it was an exciting trip. I was surprised by how big the airport was in Bangkok and by all the buses and taxis and cars. I was surprised by how many people there were and how many different languages were spoken. It was so different and so busy.
Was there anything you really enjoyed?
I loved seeing the ocean and also all the flowers and different animals and the enormous number of shops and restaurants. Of course I loved trying all the different food but especially the seafood, there was so much variety and it was all new to me. I met local fisherman and talked to them about how they caught seafood and how they cooked it and what to eat it with, it was all very surprising and interesting.
Was there anything you didn’t like?
Only that the Thai people didn’t speak better English – I had so many questions and things I wanted to talk to them about!
Tell us about your experience at Chiva-Som. What was the training like?
This was a very special experience. I learned so many new things about creating a wellness menu and designing nutritious meals for guests such as gluten free diets, plant-based diets and vegan menus. I learned new and exciting ways to create dishes with fresh and organic ingredients with a focus on salads and fruit and vegetables. I learned a lot about nutrition, wellness cuisines and organic cooking and I am very excited to share these new skills with the culinary team at Gangtey Lodge.
