PRESS
‘Authenticity is not duplication of the past. It is learning from the past, discovering depth and details that are new to us, and adapting them to the future, just as those artists, writers, and chefs of history did before us.’
– Redbull Hangar-7
‘From the time we decided we wanted to do it, it took about 14, 15 years. So we studied a lot, sometimes we did not eat anything but Thai food because we wanted to understand the flavours.’
– South China Morning Post
‘Every morning,” Satongun recalls, “I had to help out in the kitchen before school. And then once I finished my homework in the afternoon, I was back at it again.’
– KTCHNrebel
– Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018 – 2021
Elit® Vodka Asia’s Best Female Chef 2018 by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants
‘Bongkoch ‘Bee’ Satongun has dedicated most of her life to rediscovering and reviving the authentic flavours of classic Thai cuisine. Together with chef-husband Jason Bailey, she has carved a unique place in Bangkok’s diverse gastronomic scene with restaurant Paste, where she showcases refined versions of traditional Thai dishes that reflect the country’s heritage with layered flavours and textural contrasts.’
‘Satongun grew up in her family’s small eatery in Bangkok, helping her mother prepare classic Thai dishes but didn’t pursue a culinary career till she met and married Australian chef Jason Bailey at the age of 28. Her husband’s passion for Thai food was infectious and Satongun trained under him to learn to recreate the flavours of her childhood.’
– Michelin Guide Bangkok
‘The food here is as impressive and intricate as the spiral silk cocoon sculpture that fills the airy dining room.’
– Michelin Guide Bangkok 2018 – 2023
‘She’s been called Asia’s best female chef and leads one of Asia’s premier Michelin-starred restaurants, Paste, in Bangkok. Chef Bongkoch “Bee” Satongun and her partner, Australian-born chef Jason Bailey, are masters of Thai cookery. ‘
– Centurion Magazine
‘Indeed Thai food lovers who visit the elegant restaurant in Bangkok’s Gaysorn Village will be struck by how the dishes at Paste are unequivocally Thai yet unlike anything they’ve had before. ‘I twist the dish in layered herbal combinations,’ the self-taught chef explains, ‘injecting more umami that synergises and highlights the surrounding herbs.’
– Singapore Airlines
‘Thanks to Chef Bee’s ancestral Lao background, several other dishes from the region were on the menu to sample. Our must-orders include Crunchy cured rice balls with a unique sour sausage mixed in a red curry paste, river weed and rose pepper leaf combination, along with a luscious reinvention of the classic Kalee Ped (or Laos Duck Curry) by Royal Laos Court chef Phia Sing which is instantly addictive.’
– Prestige Magazine
Bee Satongun: Something old, something new
‘Each dish at the restaurant, Satongun says, is around 80% traditional and 20% innovation – “something old, something new” – and she and Bailey… like to travel the length and breadth of Thailand in search of inspiration and new ingredients, particularly rare herbs’
– Fine Dining Lovers
Bee Satongun: ‘Rediscovering my Lao Roots’
‘Satongun is rediscovering her roots with the help of one of the most important culinary figures in Lao cuisine, Phia Sing. He was the chef and master of ceremonies to the kings of Laos, and a cookbook derived from his notes was published posthumously. This collection of recipes proved to be a treasure trove of resources for Satongun, who had alreadydeveloped a habit of researching ancient texts for Paste Bangkok.’
– Fine Dining Lovers
‘A restaurant serving artisanal Thai food, conceived by one of the most talented and respected female chefs in Bangkok, rewarded with an excellent ranking in the most renowned culinary listings like Michelin (1 star) and New Candidate for the TOP100 by The Best Chef Awards 2019… If that can’t convince you to schedule a trip to Paste Restaurant, we wouldn’t know what would trigger you anyway…’
– The Best Chef Awards
27 of the world’s best chefs cooking underneath the dome of the Grand Palais, Paris. On the Secrets des Chefs Sunday 20th May 2018.
‘Classic Thai food is renowned the world over, yet rarely does one find it presented in such an innovative way as at Paste. Paste Bangkok is the brainchild of Australian award winning chef Jason Bailey and his Thai partner Bongkoch “Bee” Satongun, who received a Michelin star for their authentic high end Thai dining. Bailey now focuses on the business end and projects for Paste, while Satongun runs the kitchen, focusing on original Thai flavors and textures, with ingredients sourced fresh from the grower and best markets in the country. Traditional Thai food is done here with beautiful creative twists and a total attention to taste combinations enough to wow the most discerning diner.’
– Taste Paris Food Festival
Four news : Bee Satongun as Asia’s Best Female Chef 2018
‘Renowned for her technical expertise and creative flair, Satongun creates dishes that are defined by their authentic flavours, contrasting textures and attention to detail. Striking a delicate balance between tradition and innovation, Satongun reinterprets traditional Thai cuisine in a modern context, combining ancient and contemporary techniques alongside surprising twists.’
– Four Magazine
‘We asked Bee what sets her food apart from that of other chefs. “It’s the flavor. Our aim, before, was to create Thai fine dining for Thai people. Thai customers are focused on the taste. So the flavor has to come first, before the presentation.’
– Coconut Bangkok
‘Renowned for her commitment to traditional Thai cooking, Chef Bee looks to centuries-old Thai cookbooks for references to resurrect long-forgotten recipes and rare ingredients. The award-winning chef began working at her family’s local restaurant before she opened Paste in 2015 with her Australian-born husband and fellow chef Jason Bailey, which was awarded its first Michelin star last year.’
– Lifestyle Asia
‘Bee Satongun and Jason Bailey have delved deep into Thai history to make 17th century relish made with white pepper and early 20th century salads and brought these little-known recipes right into the 21st century. A sweet river prawn salad is elevated with locally sourced spices like the Chiang Mai cousin of Sichuan peppercorns and flavour-packed seaweed powder, an example of old dishes with new twists.’
– Sydney Morning Herald
Most Loved Thai Restaurant
‘We are bursting out with happiness seeing Paste, one of our favourite Thai restaurants, win first place in this category. Chef Jason Bailey and Bongkoch “Bee” Satongun have successfully blended ancient Thai recipes with state-of-the-art cooking techniques, resulting in creations that are favored by Bangkok’s most discerning diners.’
– Time Out Magazine
Winner: Best Thai Fine Dining
‘Once the underdog of Thai fine dining, Paste proved in 2017-18 that it’s every bit as relevant as its contemporaries. Michelin star: check. Asia’s 50 Best nod: check. And now, its highest ever position in BK’s Top Tables, where it sits above every other Thai restaurant that made this year’s guide.’
– Top Tables
Bangkok’s 100 Best Restaurants
‘Across increasingly sophisticated tasting menus, the chefs introduce a plethora of rare herbs and ingredients: from edible hummingbird flowers in your smoky southern yellow curry with red spanner crab, all the way down to salt from Nan province that they say is smoother than sea salt. No longer confined to the history books, these vibrant, complex dishes also manage to offer something new and beautiful.’
– BK Magazine
‘Traditional Thai dishes from all regions of the country are to be found here, but done with beautiful creative twists and a total attention to taste combinations enough to wow the most discerning diner.’
– USA Today Travel
‘The flavors come from the freshness of the ingredients, rather than being an over-reaching attempt at confusing attempts of fusion—much in line with traditional Thai. ‘
– Look East Magazine