Capella Bangkok is pleased to welcome Kannika Jitsangworn as the new Thai Chef de Cuisine of Phra Nakhon, the resort’s refined Thai restaurant on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.
The appointment coincides with International Women’s Day (March 8th) and marks just one of the many ways the Thai capital’s urban retreat celebrates women in the hospitality industry – including its signature cocktail bar, Stella, designed as a tribute to heroic women of the East.
Acclaimed for her unabated pursuit of the freshest ingredients and her meticulous eye for detail, Chef Kannika joins Phra Nakhon after a career spanning more than two decades cooking Thai cuisine at renowned hotel kitchens around the world. She has held positions at The Datai in Langkawi, COMO Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos, and AMAN resorts in Indonesia, Turkey, and Bhutan. Since 2017, she helmed the Thai restaurant at Amanpuri in Phuket, where she further honed her skills in cooking authentic recipes from the south of Thailand.
Womanhood runs as a through line in Jitsangworn’s career. It was her mother who introduced her to the joy of cooking at a young age. In her childhood home, surrounded by jackfruit and coconut trees, her mother would teach her to grind curry pastes from lemongrass and limes grown in her garden, or how to source and identify high-quality ingredients around the market. “She has always inspired me to be an authentic chef,” Jitsangworn says of her mom. “She taught me to stay true to the philosophy of Thai cuisine and its rich heritage.”
Since its opening at the tail end of 2020, Phra Nakhon’s Thai menu draws inspiration from all corners of the country; from fiery southern Gaeng Kua coconut curries and saporous northeastern Som Tum papaya salads to the time-tested Thai-Chinese dishes that find their origins in the ancient family kitchens around the historic neighborhood Capella Bangkok has settled in.
In her new tenure, Chef Kannika will continue exploring the bounty of the Kingdom and tap her long-standing relationships with farmers and fisherfolk around the country to bring fresh ingredients and new flavours to Phra Nakhon’s dining room. “I have always felt it’s paramount to support the local community,” she says. “The farmers, street food chefs, and artisans working around the restaurant and further afield will provide ample inspirations to showcase this philosophy on our menu.”
Taking over the contemporary, sun-washed conservatory and the tree-shaded riverside terrace of Capella Bangkok, Phra Nakhon serves authentic Thai cuisine for lunch and dinner. Dishes can be ordered à la carte, or in sharing-style Long Chim (during lunch) and Sam Rub (during dinner) set menus focused on Chef Kannika’s specialties. The restaurant hosts a convivial Sunday Seafood Lunch every other Sunday (upcoming dates: April 10 & 24, and May 8 & 22) which features premium seafood served family style and Thai delicacies prepared at live cooking stations.
For reservations, please call 02 098 3888, 065 998 4690 or email phranakhon.bangkok@capellahotels.com.
