Chef ThiTid Tassanakajohn, or better known as Chef Ton to his friends and customers, is finally taking a break. After a decade of running Le Du in Bangkok, he’s vacating the kitchen temporarily. He’s not hanging up his apron. The restaurant just needed an overhaul.
Fresh off scoring the coveted top spot in the 2023 edition of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, Ton is in Singapore to helm the Mandala Masters residency. He’s joining a coterie of top chefs that include Gaggan Anand, Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon, and Yoshihiro Narisawa, all of whom have brought their culinary expertise onto Singapore shores.
“At the residency, we will showcase two to three new dishes that have never been seen before. They will make their debut at version 2.0 of Le Du Bangkok!” says Ton. Singapore is a great test bed for new dishes, but Thailand, specifically Bangkok, is fast becoming a foodie destination. Ton is pleased. The young chef is a vigorous proponent of authentic Thai flavours and has stayed true to his roots and traditions. “I constantly hope diners will enjoy Thai food a bit more every time they try my dishes. Thai food can still be modern while still staying true to its culinary roots and culture.”
Mackerel, corn, and fermented fish. 
River prawn with shrimp paste and mountain rice.
It was a traditional Thai-Chinese dish that kick-started Ton’s love for cooking. Like all great chef origin stories, a grandmother is always involved. Ton would always hang around the kitchen with his grandmother as she cooked and told him stories. His favourite dish: a simple 5-spiced egg combination that he grew up eating.
The revamped Le Du takes inspiration from nature and his past. “The different shades of the rice fields inspired the interior and ambiance and shares my ethos of connecting with and absorbing beautiful local Thai ingredients.” He’s tapped Amata Luphaiboon from the Department of Architecture, one of the top firms in the country, to design the restaurant and is excited to unveil the results.
But if you want to get a taste of what Ton is cooking at the new Le Du, the Mandala Masters is a good start.
