All eyes have been on Tam Chudaree Debhakam since she burst into the culinary scene in 2017, becoming the first winner of Top Chef Thailand as the show’s youngest contestant. In 2022, she opened Baan Tepa in Bangkok at her grandmother’s old home, offering elevated contemporary takes on traditional Thai dishes, driven by ingredients that in many cases are grown in the restaurant’s garden. The restaurant received its first Michelin star in 2023.

Read more: Why Bangkok is Asia’s most exciting food city right now

Coa was launched in 2017 as a way for Jay Khan to advocate for 100 percent agave tequila and traditional mezcal—two of the industry’s least-understood, and somewhat misunderstood, spirits. In 2020, together with fellow mezcal enthusiast Andrew Davis, Khan established Mezcal Mission. Khan showcases their spirits in engaging mezcal and tequila workshops, with all proceeds going to support the work of Habitat for Humanity—a charity that provides much-needed resources and support to vulnerable families in need of housing. Khan’s newest venture is called The Savory Project, which he opened with co-founder Ajit Gurung in May 2023. The new bar focuses on cocktails with an earthy or umami character, using meat, fungi, brine, and other savoury ingredients.

Read more: Jay Khan is a man on a mission

In 2020, Mohamed Al-Matin, formerly a pastry sous chef at Copenhagen’s legendary Noma, combined three of humanity’s great loves—convenience, variety and sugar—into a successful online bakery. He delivered boxes of gourmet pastries to Covid-era shut-ins, with each day’s creations selling out in seconds. After the fog lifted, he opened Le Matin, a dine-in experience featuring his signature sweet and savoury delectables, ready-made at the counter or à la carte.

One of Hong Kong’s most distinctive culinary artists, Venezuelan native Ricardo Chaneton was schooled at classical European restaurants including the three-Michelin-starred Quique Dacosta in Spain and Mirazur in France. At Mono, he combines that training with inspiration from his homeland and the surrounding continent to create an ingredients-driven cuisine. Mono was named Tatler Dining’s Restaurant of the Year in 2023.

Read more: Gen.T List 2023: Meet the honourees from Hong Kong this year

Angela Lai’s journey to becoming a dessert chef is a study of globalisation and multicultural cosmopolitanism. Based in Taiwan, the native Singaporean uses seasonal ingredients and takes inspiration from Taiwanese local elements to create a stunning repertoire ranging from French pastries to traditional Taiwanese sweets. In 2021, the pâtissier at two-Michelin starred Tairroir became the first person in Taiwan to clinch the title of Asia’s Best Pastry Chef as part of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards.

Stephan Duhesme’s restaurant, Metiz, aims to modernise Filipino food while preserving its heritage. Dedicated to producing innovative interpretations of local flavours and traditional dishes, the restaurant uses almost exclusively homegrown produce and puts a particular emphasis on fermentation. Stephan previously worked at the celebrated New York Philippine restaurant Purple Yam.

Read more: Reframing fine dining: What has to change? An honest conversation with chef Stephan Duhesme

The Bridge in Chengdu was once known as a family-run local restaurant, but when Hebe Ni took over, she launched it to the stratosphere. With a vision of transforming it into Chengdu’s premium fine-dining destination, she enlisted world-renowned chef André Chiang as creative director. Under Hebe’s leadership, The Bridge has won widespread acclaim for its historical architecture, stylish decor and high-end cuisine.

Read more: André Chiang on creating culinary masterpieces that he wants to introduce to the world

Bartender Angus Zou was inspired by casual, stand-up beer-drinking culture, and wanted to bring a sense of approachability to the world of cocktail mixology. His musings eventually birthed Draft Land, the first bar in Asia to serve speciality cocktails on tap. It has since expanded from Taipei to Hong Kong and Bangkok, with Tokyo and Singapore to come.

Baking has been Karen Carlotta’s passion since she was young, so it was no surprise when she decided to turn it into a career. She founded Union Brasserie, Bakery and Bar, which ranked 33 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars list in 2021—and also the best bar in Indonesia. A former guest judge on Masterchef Indonesia, she also runs the pastry department of AMKC Private Dining and has created a private dining experience for Barack Obama.

See more honourees from the Food & Beverage category on the Gen.T List.

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