RAFFLES INTERNATIONAL INTRODUCES TAKUMI TO BANGKOK

A lively, creative dining trend has arrived in Bangkok in the form of Takumi, a contemporary Japanese lifestyle restaurant concept developed by Raffles International. The restaurant, now open at Merchant Court Hotel at Le Concorde, Bangkok – a Raffles International – managed hotel – is a spirited Japanese restaurant offering a Zen approach to modern urban chic dining.

Takumi reflects the latest dining trend from Japan and satisfies the demands of Bangkok’s discerning patrons for a restaurant that serves contemporary Japanese food, using seasonal, fresh ingredients, in a fun and stylish setting that is not restrained by tradition but which inspires contemplation, reflection and an appreciation of life.

“We are on a continuous quest to anticipate future dining trends around the world, “ said Mr. Richard C. Helfer, Chairman & CEO of Raffles International Hotels & Resorts. “Takumi is a casual Japanese lifestyle restaurant where ceremony is replaced by ingenuity and originality. We are targeting the lifestyle - conscious set who acknowledge that the culture of food and entertainment is progressive and ever evolving. It is a restaurant concept we intend to export to other Raffles International properties worldwide.”

Takumi means skillful and clever, a theme central to the restaurant’s concept. Takumi’s talented chef, who was discovered by Raffles International in the food capital of Kyoto, is poised to transform the Japanese dining scene in Bangkok. In the Zen spirit of appreciating the most fundamental things in life, the simple art of cooking at Takumi encourages a deeper, more life - enriching experience, one that allows us to delight in the most essential and satisfying of daily activities.

Takumi explores food as a three - dimensional art form in its presentation and vitality. Its menu changes with the seasons and the chefs source in-season delicacies from both Japan, and for maximum freshness, from specially chosen produce arriving daily from the outskirts of Bangkok.

While placing emphasis on the new, Takumi also draws culinary inspiration from the old - the ancient cuisine of Kyoto. Its roots can be traced to the three forms of culinary art that have made Kyo-ryori, or Kyoto cuisine, famous : yusoku, favored by the old court nobility : kaiseki, developed to accompany the traditional and elegant tea ceremony and shojin, nutritious temple cuisine influenced by Zen Buddhist precepts and popularized in the Zen temples of Kyoto.

The thirteenth-century Zen Master, Dogen Zenji, instructed his cook to “…put your awakened mind to work, and make a constant effort to serve meals full of variety that are appropriate to the need and the occasion, and that will enable everyone to practise with their bodies and minds with the least hindrance.

Located on the second floor of The Merchant Court Hotel at Le Concorde, Bangkok, Takumi’s exterior evokes a feeling of entering a street market while its interior reflects the Zen love of the abstract. Service staff, both male and female, are dressed in black loose-fitting tunics and pants, reminiscent of Japanese shopkeepers and artisans. The main dining area comprises seven tables, each for four persons. The black granite sushi bar displays four aquariums, each showcasing a single specie of sealife.

In addition to an a la carte menu, special kaiseki menus, of between seven to twelve courses, are served in the eight tatami rooms that adjoin the main dining area. Kaiseki menus focus on the harmonious combination of food, colour and tableware, offering sensory delight from the different aromas, tastes, textures and appearance of each course. Tableware is fashionably rustic with earthy ceramics sitting on black slated wooden placemats while contemporary Japanese-style American jazz and modern Japanese music enhance the overall ambience.

Takumi is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Besides Takumi, Merchant Court Hotel at Le Concorde, Bangkok has four other food and beverage outlets, a versatile range of banquet, conference and pre-function facilities catering to groups of up to a 1,000 and a selection of indoor and outdoor recreational facilities. Located on Ratchadapisek Road, a dynamic rapidly growing area, the hotel is managed by Raffles International Hotels & Resorts.

Raffles International Limited is the hotel management subsidiary of Raffles Holdings Limited, Singapore’s leading hotel and resort owner with an asset base of more than S$2.8 billion worldwide. Raffles Holdings Limited is listed on the Singapore Exchange.

Raffles International’s portfolio comprises 14 hotels and resorts in 12 gateway destinations in 9 countries within Asia Pacific and Europe