Bangkok to Host 4th Asian Organic Gourmet Festival 22-25 March A four-day food, wine and wellness extravaganza is being organised by the luxurious 137 Pillars Suites & Residences on Sukhumvit Soi 39 in the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. Bangkok Thailand, February 2018 - Scheduled to take place from 22-25 March 2018, the hotel, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is bringing together leading wellness consultants, a selection of top chefs and some of the finest wine producers, for four days of luxurious organic fun. Taking place for the first time in Bangkok, the fourth Asian Organic Gourmet Festival (AOGF) will showcase the importance of buying locally sourced produce, how to prepare the food healthily without losing any flavour, and how to pair the finished cuisine with the right wine. This year, Chef Javier Rodriguez from Santiago del Estero in the very north of Argentina, Chef Colin Chung from Hawaii and Chef Tolgar Mireli from Turkey are being flown to 1/4
Bangkok especially for this event and will join Chef Anchalee Ponrungsit and the team in the kitchens at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences. Chef Javier Rodriguez has worked in some of the world s most celebrated 1-, 2- and even 3-star Michelin restaurants including Tetsuya s in Australia, Noma in Denmark, Maaemo in Norway, La Gloria in Peru, Restaurant André in Singapore and Viajante in England. He believes strongly in using the highest quality seasonal produce purchased from small local producers. Chef Colin Chung can t keep away from the sea and the delicious bounty it provides! He may be from Hawaii but the celebrated chef has worked for many years in New Zealand and today lives in Fiji. Chef Colin s cooking is all about heart and soul, and that comes out in his personal life too. His most recent book, Kana Vinaka, which means eat well or good food in Fiji, is not only about cuisine in the Pacific Island country it s also a not-for-profit initiative designed to enhance the lives, farming and eating habits of those on the islands. Chef Tolgar Mireli is one of the most successful and celebrated chefs to come out of Turkey. He has worked in some of the best restaurants around the world, including time at Michel Roux Jr.'s Le Gavroche in London, the first UK restaurant to be awarded one, two and three Michelin stars. Chef Tolgar loves cooking classical French and Italian cuisine as well as promoting the rich variety of tastes and styles that can be found in Turkish cooking. 2/4
At the Asian Organic Gourmet Festival 2018, the main highlight for the chefs, and for those guests lucky enough to have a confirmed reservation, will be the daily Gala Dinner at Nimitr on Level 27. This is where the chefs individual flair and creativeness will shine, as they put together a menu of the finest organic food paired with carefully scripted organic wine to create a culinary journey that will impress even the most sophisticated gourmands. The invited chefs will also share their experience and culinary wizardry in special cooking classes scheduled to take place on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. Anchalee Ponrungsit, Executive Sous Chef at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok, said, "I am absolutely thrilled that the Asian Organic Gourmet Festival is going to take place in Bangkok for the first time. To be able to work alongside the hugely talented chefs that we have invited is a great opportunity for myself and the entire 137 Pillars team. We're going to put on a culinary show the likes of which Bangkok has never seen before, I can't wait!" It s not all about fine dining and celebrity chefs. There are also plenty of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy throughout each day. Running alongside the Asian Organic Gourmet Festival will be a Farmers Market taking place at the Jamjuree Lawn on the ground floor of the hotel between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. The Farmers Market will showcase locally grown organic produce such as rice and vegetables, as well as a whole range of refreshing drinks and delicious freshly prepared food. Saturday is Wellness Day at the Asian Organic Gourmet Festival. Roger Moore will start off the day on how everyone can find a balance in life with the 7 Pillars of Wellness and throughout the day expert wellness practitioners, such as Ron Veldhuis and Henrik Olofsson, will share their insight on how to lead a healthier and happier life through carefully choreographed presentations and demonstrations. Judith Coulson-Geissman will also be conducting a food as medicine nutrition class, and will join Chef Anchalee for the Wellness Cuisine cooking class. The auction is a very important highlight of the Asian Organic Gourmet Festival with highly desirable and unique experiences up for grabs, as well as other high-end luxury products. 3/4
The four-day event will culminate on Sunday, 25 March 2018 with a Gala Finale Brunch Buffet that will take place at Bangkok Trading Post from 11:30 a.m. The event will be used by each of the invited chefs to showcase their talents in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. The charity that this year s Asian Organic Gourmet Festival will support is The Beaumont Partnership Foundation which was established to help serve needy communities in Thailand and provide education to rural children free of charge. Last year in Chiang Mai, the event raised THB 236,000 which was donated to the Warm Heart Charity, and organisers are aiming to considerably improve on that already substantial amount this year. Bjorn Richardson, General Manager of the 137 Pillars Suites & Residences, said, The Asian Organic Gourmet Festival proved extremely popular in Chiang Mai and it s already started to create quite a buzz here in Bangkok. With a Farmers Market, Cooking Classes, a Wellness Day, and of course the luxurious and indulgent daily Gala Dinners, there is something for everyone. It s going to be an outstanding few days of fun and delicious organic food prepared by some of the very best chefs! Sponsors for the event include Turkish Airlines, Waiwera Water, ViBERi, The Beaumont Partnership Foundation, Gourmet One, BB&B, and Tourism Authority of Thailand. Prices for the 4th Asian Organic Gourmet Festival are THB 4,200++ per person per Gala Dinner, THB 1,900++ per person per day inclusive of 2 cooking classes, THB 3,500++ for the Wellness Day and THB 2,900++ per person for the Gala Finale Brunch. Due to the popularity of the events, reservations are strongly recommended. Accommodation Suites start from USD450 per night and Residences from USD140, inclusive of daily breakfast and complimentary Wi-Fi. All rates quoted above are subject to applicable service charge and government tax. Terms and conditions apply. For more information and reservation enquiries, please contact 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Tel: +66 (0) 6 3187 6209 Email: benchamaporn@137pillarsbangkok.com Website: www.137pillarsbangkok.com 4/4
About 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok 137 Pillars Hotels & Resorts, launched in Bangkok in January 2016, is a passionately curated luxury boutique brand, offering unique, memorable signature experiences and legendary service in each of its properties. Following the success of the award-winning 30-suite 137 Pillars House Chiang Mai which opened in 2012, the second property, 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok opened in February 2017, showcasing 34 exquisitely appointed suites and 179 private residences. A third property, 137 Pillars Estate Phuket, is scheduled to open in 2020 on the North Peninsula of Kata Beach, with 16 sunset facing pool villas and 51 pool suites. A hallmark of 137 Pillars Hotels & Resorts is the team who are dedicated to legendary hospitality and service, as well as a respect for environmental sustainability. Media Contact: Kanchalikar Phruttisarikorn Director of Public Relations & Marketing Communications Tel: +66 (0) 6 2-6049872 E-mail: kanchalikar@137pillarshotels.com SPONSORED BY 5/4