French national, Jerome Deconinck is a creative chef who has worked in some of the world’s top kitchens and exclusive hotels. He began his culinary journey as an apprentice to Michelin star chef, Georges Paccard at his restaurant, La Ciboulette in Annecy, France. Jerome was awarded “Best Apprentice in French” contest.
Jerome went on to work as Chef de Partie in the Department of the French Prime Minister where he created the daily menus for the prime minister and his cabinet. The talented chef was also co-owner and chef de Cuisine of the restaurant Le Francais French Dining in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The venue was voted one of the city’s top ten restaurants by Malaysian Tatler, and Jerome won the “Award of Excellence for the Most Outstanding Festival Cuisine” during the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival 2007.
The professional young chef’s impressive pedigree also includes a position as Chef de Cuisine at Le Pergolese at the Hilton Tokyo, sister restaurant of Stephen Gaborieau’s one Michelin star restaurant in Paris. Prior to joining Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit Jerome was Executive Chef at Fauchon in Bangkok.
“What I served at L’Appart (an apartment in English) is quite authentic we only adjust a saltiness of the dish, because Thai has a less salty palate than European. We also have some dish on the menu with Thai inference. We try to give it a bit of everything, but the concept is to stay and remain french. Our restaurant’s concept and an environment is an apartment where chic friends and lovers of lavish lifestyle are invited to join to join us for an indulgent evening of delicious French cuisine, so a main idea here is for the guest comes and feel likes home. We want them to eat something that I will be eating at home with my parent to present a lifestyle of Parisian”
“However, what is a big difference cooking for Thai and western is that Thai have a tendency of keep coming back to the same restaurant because of the same dish. Once the restaurant change dishes too fast they feel disappointed. In French culture, we think exactly the opposite way the more its change the more important to s to evolve. I try not to change too fast, try to change a dish by dish slowly when necessary. It doesn’t fit a Thai concept of eating so we decide to change the concept and keep the dish longer making them evolve a little bit by listening to our customer. We take opinion from the customer at heart and we make our cuisine evolve. Also, I like to work with local ingredient and surprise people to see their ingredient in such a way that they don’t.”
Working locally to support local producers is another key concept of chef Jerome. In his point of view, getting the local economy running by a stay as much as possible with a local market is give and take.
“Our job here to cut down the boundary between East and West. When people come we like to talk with them, we like to understand them and make sure that their expectation is made with our food, so we can put everything together and create the best dish. When we come we want to make a mark and help it to be a better place”
Jerome Deconinck is a gifted and experienced chef with an extraordinary knowledge of classic and contemporary French cuisine. At Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit he invites diners to enjoy a unique gastronomic experience at L’Appart.
