Boutique luxury wellness resort, Aleenta Phuket Resort & Spa in Thailand, today announces the official opening of “SEASONS”, South of Thailand’s first ever completely plant-based fine dining eatery, helmed by Italian-born chef Luca Mancini. Honouring the AKARYN Hotel Group’s values, SEASONS’ culinary identity is rooted in responsible hospitality, with its primary focus on minimising its ecological footprint whilst supporting the local agricultural businesses. Solely using locally produced, seasonal ingredients to create an innovative, sustainable, and localvore menu, SEASONS presents an elevated and unmatched dining experience, taking diners on an extraordinary sensory journey.
As Thailand’s first ever bistro with a 100% non-animal protein menu, SEASONS advances on the notion of veganism, presenting an inventive menu of healthy plant-based dishes guaranteed to astonish palates of all gourmets and gourmands. As a resort with holistic wellness at its core, the SEASONS menu will feature health-conscious alternatives for those with dietary restrictions, including gluten-free, sugar free and low carb/ketogenic options. Showcasing the very best southern Thai produce, SEASONS is the brainchild of Anchalika Kijkanakorn, the founder of AKARYN Hotel Group, with the culinary concept paying tribute to Anchalika’s Chinese cultural heritage mixed with contemporary Western influences. With environmental and social consciousness being an integral part of the Aleenta brand philosophy, Anchalika Kijkanakorn established the Pure Blue Foundation 2010; a non-profit organisation that cultivates initiatives for marine conservation, including reef restoration, turtle conservation and ocean plastic waste reduction, supports its local community through employment opportunities, and provides funding for local scholarly support including teaching facilities, libraries, scholarships for students and teachings on environmental awareness. Impressively, the Aleenta resorts were the first hotels in the whole of Asia to ban single-use plastic.
An original complication of dishes touching both Asian and international gastronomical styles, diners at SEASONS can select one of two degustation menus – “Savor the East” or “Savor the West”, both of which use the same local ingredients with various approaches to spices, flavors and seasoning to suit. Amongst the signature dishes from both inaugural SEASONS menus include:
● Har Gao: Traditionally served in southern Thailand and a favorite dish for local Chinese
Phang Nga natives, the dish consists of a steamed dumpling made with local homemade
organic yellow tofu, seasoned with Spirulina grown in Pak Klok to give the mineral taste
of the seas, served with Junsaeng soya local mulberry vinegar dip.
● Khao Rai & Monsoon Stew: Slow-cooked local Shitake mushrooms in Hua Hin
vineyard red wine with Thai pearl onions, fresh market cassava mash and special
small-batch organic Khao Rai rice from a local farm.
● Jackfruit Taco: Jack-fruit pulled-pork style, in a crispy corn tortilla with tomato salsa,
vegan source cream and smokey guacamole.
● Andaman “Sea Risotto”: A creamy risotto with “ParVeggio” vegan cheese cooked in a
smooth broth of “Phuket Sarasin bridge” with grape seaweed and vegan fish roe made
with chia seeds, prepared with local Phuket Spirulina and vegan coconut butter.
● The Southern Winter Roast: Roasted and poached organic local root and green
vegetables, served with sunchoke and celeriac puree on a bed of crispy charcoal soil,
finished with virgin coconut oil infused with Aleenta garden herbs.
● Tofu & Chocolate Mousse: Organic white tofu with Kao Kad Chumporn chocolate,
Thalang farmed mulberries served with artisanal low glycemic coconut sorbet.
Travelling the region to discover the highest-quality produce, Chef Luca Mancini sources all of his ingredients from local farmers in the Phang-Nga and Phuket provinces, championing the delicious, seasonal flavours and supporting local businesses, all whilst lowering the restaurant’s carbon footprint. Embodying a culinary identity that respects the three seasons in Thailand –wet, cool and hot – the SEASONS menu will change three times per year.
A Thai culinary staple, Chef Luca procures his rice from two brothers in Phuket who cultivate artisanal and organic, nutritionally-superior rice (Rai Dawk Kha Phangnga Rice) from their family-run farm that has been active for over four-generations. This strain of rice has high-level nutritional content including plenty of Omega 9 fatty acids, helps lower cholesterol, increases HDL levels (good cholesterol), lower triglycerides and improves circulatory system efficiency.
Tofu is another key ingredient on the SEASONS menu, sourced from a family-centric establishment located in Mueang Phang-Nga specialising in organic tofu with a secret recipe and method that has been passed down for generations, and diners will also be delighted to taste a homegrown Thai “grape seaweed” from a plantation at Sarasin
Bridge Phuket.
The restaurant is housed in an intimate space with a maximum of eight tables and 16 diners, in an airy al fresco indoor-outdoor space with direct views of the resort’s private Andaman Sea beachfront and infinity pool. SEASONS embodies a culinary identity that The restaurant is suitable for all variations of diners who simply desire tasty, elegant
cuisine in an attractive and aesthetic space.
Maintaining its commitment to responsible hospitality and local artisanal practice, the
SEASONS menu has been designed by local artist Patsachon Toyingpaiboon, who was also commissioned to produce a mural for the restaurant detailing a map of the local culinary community and suppliers used.
Continuing to expand the Aleenta brand, the AKARYN Hotel Group will launch a third Aleenta resort, Aleenta Retreat Chiang Mai, in Chiang Mai, Thailand in April 2023. Situated between the ancient city of Chiang Mai and the famous Vipassana meditation centre, the Wat (temple) Umong Forest, surrounded by awe-inspiring natural countryside, Aleenta Retreat Chiang Mai will be home to an intimate 44 rooms and suites, a swimming pool, bar and lounge area, restaurant, spa and wellness centre.
SEASONS restaurant officially opened on 27 February 2023. For more information, please visit: www.aleenta.com/phuket/dining/
