Chef Olivier Limousin is no stranger to Thailand, having spent a number of years there now with L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon.  His list of accolades, besides recently having clinched a spot on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017, also includes 2 Michelin stars with both L’Atelier – London and La Table de Joël Robuchon , as well as, being a guest judge on Masterchef UK. We speak with him following his win to find out more about his love for Bangkok and exciting new plans.

Aspire Lifestyles: Chef Olivier, how do you feel having clinched a spot in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants?

Chef Olivier: It’s really great news for me and for the team as Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants is very well known all around the world! Being placed on this list make us proud of what we try to achieve every day and also makes our customers happy for us too.

Aspire Lifestyles: You have been with L’Atelier since 2006, how do you keep things fresh and your skills up-to-date?

Chef Olivier: I work very closely with my sous chefs, who have been working with me for a few years now and we always try to conduct workshops and brainstorm for new dishes. I believe a chef must always have an open mind to try new ideas and experiment.

Also because of the open kitchen concept of L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, I can be very close to our guests. Talking to them brings me new ideas all the time, about the way where I should go, and helps me understand their demands too.

Working with Mr Robuchon is very helpful too because he always gives us good advice. His point of view is important because he’s always travelling around the world to bring us new ideas.

Aspire Lifestyles: Having worked several years in Paris, London and Bangkok…could you share which is your favourite city and why?

Chef Olivier: That is a really good question… These cities are all very nice and I’ve enjoyed living in all those cities but I would say Bangkok is my favourite right now.

I really love Thailand, the culture, people, food, weather…and I enjoy the lifestyle in Bangkok which is different and very nice. For me as a chef, I also think Bangkok is very exciting, in terms of their local food and produce. The Thais love food so much that you can find amazing dishes in every corner of town, the local produce is always fresh and full of flavour. Thai dishes are so good with the special touch of spice, and I would say in term of gastronomy, Bangkok gives a really nice selection of different restaurants and cuisine.

Aspire Lifestyles: What would you normally do on a day off in Bangkok? What are your favourite hidden gems in the city or neighbouring towns?

Chef Olivier: Working as a chef can be very stressful so I do a lot of sports. One of my favourite is badminton which I try to do weekly. I also love motorcycle riding and often follow the motoGP and World Superbike races. I’m a big fan of fast bikes and this, I would say, is my other passion after cooking.

I also try to discover visit different places in Thailand, to visit their temples and islands to understand more about the culture here. And of course, I’m always heading to different restaurants to try different things as I love the food!

Aspire Lifestyles: What’s new for Joel Robuchon in Bangkok?

Chef Olivier: We have just opened Le Salon de L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Central Embassy Mall. It is a really interesting concept where we bring the signature “L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon” fine dining experience to a more casual tearoom style restaurant in a shopping mall. Come visit us!

As a member on the Aspire Lifestyles Global Preferred Restaurant program, our clients’ customers enjoy top of waitlist and best table seating when they visit “L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon Bangkok.