Chef’s Cheat Day: 5 spots Chef David Hartwig of IGNIV Bangkok really loves

IGNIV Bangkok by Andreas Caminada within The St. Regis Bangkok is our favourite new dining nook, given its family sharing-style meals presented in a contemporary yet cosy ambience. 

Founded by the internationally famed Chef Andreas Caminada, the founding chef of 3-Michelin-starred Schloss Schauenstein and the first IGNIV restaurants at St. Moritz and Bad Ragaz in Switzerland, IGNIV Bangkok (which translates to “nest” from Romansh) is an extension of his comfort zone. The only difference is that this time it’s situated in Bangkok – the first time outside of the Swiss Alps.

Here in Bangkok, the Swiss-born Head Chef David Hartwig steers the wheel at IGNIV, after tenures at Chef Andreas’s Schloss Schauenstein and other renowned culinary establishments, such as Maaemo (Oslo), The NoMad Hotel (New York), Wallsé (New York) and Hotel Paradies (Ftan, Switzerland). His expertise in gastronomy sure bring wonders to each plate he serves at IGNIV.

When he’s not cooking up a storm in the kitchen, Chef David likes to busy himself on his day off by exploring the foodscape of Bangkok. We asked the chef to share with us the Bangkok spots where he likes to go for guilty pleasure food. Here, Chef David unveils all his favourite off-the-beaten-track restaurants and the dishes he usually gets. Read on for his list of food he likes to devour on a cheat day in Bangkok.

Zuma Bangkok

This fusion Japanese restaurant within The St. Regis Bangkok rocks traditional izakaya cuisine with its own unique, stylish twists.

“I love going to Zuma because it’s nearby and I absolutely love their food. The Grilled Sweetcorn with Shiso Butter is incredible. Their Miso-marinated Black Cod wrapped in Hoba Leaf is also amazing, and it’s all thanks to their talented team. The Negroni is my favourite drink to get here. There’s also the Saturday brunch where there’s always a lot of people, and a good energy. The restaurant is a mix of a club and restaurant so everything about it is fun.”

Trattoria by Andreas

Trattoria by Andreas is an Italian restaurant with more than just highly-impressive, drool-inducing pizzas.

“For me, so far, the best pizza is right here at Trattoria by Andreas. There’s an array of dishes to choose from. Of course, pizzas are the must-tries, as well as the cold cut and cheese platter. I like to get the tortellini dish which is tortellini stuffed with ham and cooked in cream and parmesan cheese sauce. It’s so good. Chef Andreas also has another location called Trattoria by Andreas in Hua Hin. That’s also a good one.”

Kad KoKoa

The two-storey café, Kad Kokoa, offers plenty of products made out of cocoa locally sourced from Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chantaburi, Chumpon and Chiang Mai, showcasing its approach to the Thai way of chocolate-making.

“Anything with chocolate is great, and Kad KoKoa serves up a really good selection of chocolate products. I love their Cacao Husk Tea. It’s made from husks of cocoa beans and so it’s very healthy. The tea has this tasty hint of chocolate which I love.”

Junker & Bar

For a hip spot to eat, drink, and hangout, with an old-school hip hop and rock n’ roll playlist to suit, Junker & Bar will not disappoint. 

“Junker & Bar is right in my neighbourhood. It was pretty much one of the first bars that opened right after the lockdown so my partner and I went there quite often during that time. We still do now. They’ve got great burgers, and a great craft beer selection. I recommend getting the Fried Taco Dogs with Chipotle Chili Sauce. So, so good.” 

Tee Tew Tub Sathorn

This is Sathorn’s haunt for mouth-walloping noodle dishes.

“My partner and I love going to Tee Tew Tub. They serve up really great noodle dishes. The restaurant also offers a variety of food like rice dishes and good, simple appetisers, for example, grilled meatballs and fried chicken wings covered in sticky garlic glaze and sesame. This is what we always order. You can get a bit of everything here, and I really like that.”