Chef Kevin Fawkes, Executive Chef at Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, and celebrated Thai artist Oat Montien joint their creative minds to collaborate on ‘Courses of the Moon’ – a series of exclusive art-inspired dinners where each course celebrates the mystical and natural lushness of Samui through a multi-sensory “moon ritual”. Combining a four-course degustation menu, elevated cocktails, performance

Chef Kevin Fawkes, Executive Chef at Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort, and celebrated Thai artist Oat Montien joint their creative minds to collaborate on ‘Courses of the Moon’ – a series of exclusive art-inspired dinners where each course celebrates the mystical and natural lushness of Samui through a multi-sensory “moon ritual”.

Combining a four-course degustation menu, elevated cocktails, performance art, poetry, site-specific installations and life drawing sessions, the unique sensorial experience will take place on 11 and 12 May 2023 at Tree Tops, Koh Samui’s most exclusive fine dining restaurant perched high above the ground amid the lush canopy of a 120-year-old tree.

When working on the menu for the event, the resort’s Executive Chef Kevin Fawkes drew on Oat’s poetic charcoal drawings as well as actual lines of poetry that were incorporated into the menu itself. The resulting experience from the two-time Iron Chef Thailand winner, honorary director for the Thailand Culinary Academy and member of the British Culinary Association is deeply moving and fresh.

Based on the artist’s interpretation of the moon’s four phrases – new, waxing, full and waning – the menu and the accompanying cocktails reference nature in general, and Koh Samui’s tropical richness in particular. The opening set, ashes of roots with Hua Hin sturgeon caviar cream, is followed by Suratthani oysters cooked over tree bark and served with broken pomegranate, rye soil and pickled white tapioca. The main course is a decadent salt-baked blue lobster with white asparagus, butterfly pea and jasmine khao tom, and sea herbs. The climax of the night, the Floating Island dessert with black truffle, chocolate, and waves of jasmine and orange, will be served just as Oat Montien starts his site-specific ritualistic life drawing performance under the darkening sky.

“Inspired by Oat Montien’s art and unique vision, the menu aims to heighten bodily and spiritual sensations while showcasing the richness of local ingredients in a spectacular setting that more than does them justice,” commented Chef Kevin Fawkes. “I hope the experience is as moving and illuminating for the guests who join us as it was for all those involved in the preparation of this art-inspired dinner.”

The ‘Courses of the Moon’ dinner at Tree Tops is priced at THB 6,500++ per person, including special cocktails and a unique drawing from the artist for each guest. For more information, please visit https://www.anantara.com/en/lawana-koh-samui/restaurants.

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