The Dynamic Duo – Ian and Sarah from Hyde & Seek

The first Thai national in the world to become an Executive Chef of a five-star hotel; a TV culinary star seen in over 70 countries; at the helm of an award-winning New York restaurant carrying his name under his belt; a career in the top restaurants across the globe; the founder of an international food and beverage management and consulting firm; the signature chef at Mumbai’s Intercontinental hotel’s latest restaurant venture; developing a restaurant in New York with renowned Chef Todd English and writing an English language cookbook.

Ian Kittichai is enthusiastic, skilled, creative, and passionate about his work. He is probably one of the most down-to-earth people anyone could hope to meet. With this business brains and flair of his business partner and wife, Sarah, the couple opened Bangkok’s first gastro bar in August 2010.

Hyde & Seek is sophisticated without putting on airs and graces, classy without being snobbish and manages to be special but relaxed all at the same time. Restaurants of Bangkok caught up with the dynamic on a recent visit to the city, before their commute to India and New York:

What exactly is a gastro-bar?

Ian – Gastro Bar takes bar food to a different level. Typically bars are primarily for drinking, not serious eating. Hyde & Seek Gastro Bar puts the emphasis on food as well as drink with a twist to traditional bar food.

Sarah – With our partners Flow Cocktail we are also focusing on the cocktail movement which is happening in London and New York.

What makes a restaurant business successful in Bangkok?

Ian – The food! Bangkok residents really love good food. A restaurateur really needs to keep up the menu planning too to keep the menu fresh and exciting for diners.

Sarah – Location and ambience also has something to do with restaurant successes in Bangkok, but food does trump all in our city as there are many places and food stalls that have a loyal following regardless of anything other than the taste of the food!

What do Thai locals think about the menu?

Ian – The menu is reflective of Bangkok being an international city. The food is a twist on New American and New British cuisine. Some personal touches I have also added are some of my signature dishes such as, Chocolate Baby Back Ribs, and Jasmine Flower Flan. Thais are adventurous when it comes to food.

And what do the Western customers think?

Sarah –There is a level of comfort to be had in a great burger or classic American brunch when one is living away from one’s native country. There’s a good mix of Thai and Western customers which I think says it all.

Your cocktails are shook by what look like male models. Is this part of your marketing strategy?

Sarah – (Laughing) Not a planned part of our strategy! It is lucky for us all that our partners in Flow Cocktail were born looking that way!

Is there an art to cooking on television?

Ian – To cook on TV is really difficult because the people watching cannot smell, touch, or taste what you have made. When you are on camera you have to try to show them how it tastes or smells and make it interesting. It can be strange interacting with a camera and not a real person. Once you start filming there is very little time or space to stop filming and cook the dish all over again, so you have to get it right the first time.

Have you had any real culinary mishaps on screen?

Ian – Once I pre-steamed a piece of pork belly before going on camera to pan fry it. As you know water and oil don’t mix, so the oil started to jump all over the set like fireworks once the pork belly was in the pan. Of course we edited it before that segment hit the air!

Can you give us a great cooking tip for any recipe?

Ian – Use the best and freshest ingredients available and keep it simple.

Sarah what is your favorite meal Ian cooks for you? And do you feel intimidated cooking for him?

Sarah – Ian has this knack for being able to open a refrigerator that seems fairly sparse or boring at home and come out with an amazing meal, be it simple or complicated – this never fails to amaze me and I love these types of surprise meals!

I never feel intimidated cooking for him as I rarely cook and when I do, it usually some sort of salad or simple dish that is hard to mess up!

Is there a danger that celebrity and running a brand takes over from the hands on cooking?

Ian – Yes, of course there is. I make it a point to physically be on site at all of my restaurants as much as possible. I will not put my name on a restaurant unless I can do that.

If you weren't a chef you would be.....?

Ian - A potter and create chinaware and stoneware….

You are married but do you work well together?

Ian – Yes, I think that since we have different skills but the same ideals we work well together.

Sarah – I agree, too many cooks spoil the broth! So by me playing to my business background is free to do what he does best – creating the artistry of it all!

Name one food that you cannot eat at all and what's the worst meal you ever had?

Ian – Clams – my lips puff up like Angelina Jolie. I still eat them though! I just take allergy medication. The worst meal I ever had was in Venice at a touristy restaurant I happened to walk into – it was American Italian style food in Italy and badly done and all wrong for the beautiful location.

Sarah – I cannot eat raw apples – I am allergic to them. The worst meal I ever had was at an American chain restaurant. Everything in this restaurant seemed to have processed yellow cheese sauce on it. It was (and probably still is) truly horrible.

What makes a great celebrity chef?

Ian – Remembering your roots and working hard

Sarah – Humility and never taking anything for granted

Hyde & Seek Gastro Bar

• 65/1 Athenee Residence, Soi Ruamrudee, Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
• Tel: 02-168 5152