Singapore- Award-winning all-villa resort, Banyan Tree Phuket, the flagship property of Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts, unveils three upcoming dining experiences, inviting connoisseurs around the world to rediscover gourmet occasions in the sensual setting of lush lagoons, graceful Thai architecture, and landscaped tropical gardens. 

French Gastronomy Redefined
Banyan Tree Phuket is pleased to present Christian Le Squer, the celebrated French chef of the three-star Michelin Ledoyen Restaurant in Paris, who will share his passion for French gastronomy from 5 to 8 August 2009 this summer. He will collaborate with the resort’s Brazilian Executive Chef, Alex Nassar, for this gastronomic festival at Tré - the exclusive contemporary French Vietnamese restaurant located within Banyan Tree Phuket’s exclusive DoublePool Villa enclave.

Hailing from Brittany, Chef Le Squer marries native flavours with the natural resources of the land. His creations are simple and unique, a deliberate technique honed through years of experience. Chef Le Squer said, “I want the guest to forget about the technique and details of cooking. I wish to offer something beyond just technical skills, something that is a holistic culinary experience whereby what is important is the movement, the aromas, the magical sense of flavours, the infinite surprises that come together to create this unique marriage of products.”

To celebrate the visit of Chef Le Squer, Banyan Tree Phuket introduces the “Sense of Occasion” package, combining a minimum three-night stay with daily breakfast for two, and one gastronomic four-course menu for two diners. Rates start from THB 10,750+++ per Deluxe Villa per night and are valid from now to 7 August 2009. Dinner-only rates, with no accommodation, are priced at THB 5,999 nett per person.

The “Sense of Occasion” package includes exclusive creations by Chef Le Squer such as red wine marinated foie gras terrine; beetroot and smoked eel; truffle crusted turbot filet; and la ratte potato and truffle emulsion. The menu also includes wine paired by Master French Winemaker, Pascal Jolivet, who will also be making a guest appearance during the event.

Guests can look forward to more of such gourmet events at Banyan Tree Phuket, including a Japanese culinary showcase in September 2009: Tadashi Sawauchi, the resident chef of Okura Tokyo’s signature Japanese restaurant, Yamazato, will be presenting a special dinner set menu at the resort’s Sala Terrace, where guests can enjoy their meal alongside views of the peaceful lagoon.

Destination Dining
Guests at Banyan Tree Phuket can also look forward to two new destination dining experiences – Dinner of the Spirit and Dinner of the Senses – that are exclusively available for one booking per night. Inspired by the age-old tradition of making offerings of rice to Buddhist monks, Dinner of the Spirit is a unique dining occasion imbued with Thai culture and tradition. Positioned beneath a majestic banyan tree and overlooking the serenity of the lagoon, this intimate dinner for two is complemented by the gentle tunes of the “khim” (a Thai string instrument).

Guests enjoy a choice of six different types of expertly prepared Thai rice to accompany the main courses - from curry rice, black sticky rice, water melon rice, turmeric and juniper rice, red rice with ginger tea to lemongrass rice. The meal commences with a spicy pomelo salad, seafood broth with coccinia ivy, and wagyu beef red curry with pineapple and grape to whet the appetite. This is followed by stir fried tiger prawns, steamed white cod and wok fried sponge gourd and truffle oil.

Dinner of the Senses is set over the tranquil lagoon within the resort, whereby guests are transported to their table by a traditional Thai longtail boat. The four-course menu incorporates elements from the land and the sea, including wagyu beef salad, scallops, yellow curry duck confit and jasmine rice infused lobster, ending with a delectable rice pudding dessert filled with crispy rice and hot chocolate coconut.

Dinner of the Spirit and Dinner of the Senses are each priced from USD350++ per couple. Advanced reservations are recommended.

For more information, please visit our award-winning website banyantree.com. For reservations, please call Banyan Tree Phuket at +66 76 372 400 or email reservations-phuket@banyantree.com.