A Siamese Feast: Thailand’s Michelin Young Chef Award Winner 2026 To Guest Stint At Chef Ton’s Restaurants In Malaysia

In January 2025, Thai celebrity chef Ton—the culinary mastermind behind the one-Michelin-starred restaurants Le Du and Nusara—made his Malaysian debut with Sood by Chef Ton in Penang. The casual dining restaurant, which showcases the best of Thailand and Penang’s ingredients with a bold and cheeky twist, admirably made its mark as a Michelin Selected restaurant in its debut year.

Then, late last year, chef Ton ventured to Kuala Lumpur with fine-dining venture As I Am, rooted in the traditional Thai concept of samrub, which celebrates the spirit of communal dining—but with a fresh, stylish twist. Chef Ton has also used his restaurants as a platform to join forces with some of Thailand’s most celebrated chefs, such as Potong’s chef Pam, to spotlight the artistry and refinement of Thai cuisine.

This June, Suwijak ‘Mond’ Kunghae of Phuket’s Michelin Selected Royd restaurant will be making his way to Sood and As I Am for one-night-only guest stints. Last year, the 33-year-old chef Mond claimed the honour of the Michelin Young Chef Award in the Michelin Guide Thailand 2026. He pursued French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu Dusit and the School of the Oriental Hotel Apprenticeship Programme, the culinary and hospitality school under Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, and became an executive chef by the tender age of 24.

Growing up in a family-run southern Thai restaurant, Mond reflects his heritage through ingredient-driven, expressive cuisine inspired by Thailand’s coastal traditions and local communities. Interesting note: Mond first discovered his passion for cooking when he studied in Penang.

Taking Thai Cuisine To The World

Mond will first make his way to As I Am for a seven-course, four-hands dinner dubbed ‘Journey Through the Future of Thai Cuisine’ on 5 June 2026. He will be collaborating with the head chef of As I Am, Srintip ‘Whan’ Ruangraigomen, for the restaurant’s first-ever collaboration dinner. Whan was previously under the tutelage of David Thompson—one of the most important figures in popularising authentic fine-dining Thai cuisine globally—as senior sous chef of his one-Michelin-starred restaurant Aksorn in Bangkok. Her cooking is marked by precision, balance, and a restrained elegance that gives every ingredient the space to stand out. Each course brings together two distinct culinary styles, creating dishes that are more than the sum of their parts and could not have been achieved by either chef alone. The dishes will be complemented by a curated premium wine pairing.

Evolution of Thai Gastronomy

On 7 June 2026, Mond and Whan will be making their way to Sood for a six-hands-dinner, ‘Flames of Thailand’. Completing the trio will be Sood’s head chef ‘Nutz’ Nutthasakt, who played a substantial role in placing Sood’s name in the Michelin Guide Kuala Lumpur & Penang 2026. A protégé of chef Ton, he previously trained in elite kitchens, including Nusara. Guests can expect a progression through the seven courses, which moves through southern Thai intensity, refined modern Thai techniques, fire-led cooking, and ingredient-focused storytelling designed exclusively for this collaboration.

As I Am
Date: 5 June 2026
Price: RM750+ per guest
For reservations, please contact via WhatsApp at +60132732131.

Sood by Chef Ton
Date: 7 June 2026
Price: RM450+ per guest
For reservations, please contact via WhatsApp at +60198982131.

Cover photo: Chef Suwijak ‘Mond’ Kunghae offers a refined expression of Southern Thai cuisine at his restaurant Royd, guided by season and grounded in Southern tradition.