Holiday Issue 2019

30 Mar19066 Brasserie 9 : Simply Exquisite French Dining in Thai’s Capital There are many places around the world that have attempted to capture the magic of French cuisine outside of the country itself. Perhaps it is a bit unexpected to find that one of the places that does succeed in this endeavour is deep in Bangkok – a city with its own refined culinary identity. That restaurant is Brasserie 9. On the back of Brasserie 9’s success in LUXlife’s Global Luxury Restaurant and Bar Awards programme, we spoke with Mr. Linus Knobel to find out more. Based out of an elegant remodelled mansion, Brasserie 9 strives to make a dramatic first impression. From its position at the heart of Bangkok’s downtown, located closed to the city’s business areas and entertainment high spots, the restaurant embraces a sort of revitalised old-world vibe, doubling down on the sophistication. It’s fitting, echoing Brasserie’s approach to Authentic French cuisine – thoroughly traditional with a modern twist. As Knobel explains, Brasserie 9 aims to capture a luxurious atmosphere, to match the gastronomical treats that are served to guests every evening. “Brasserie 9 offers fine French dining amid in an elegant, colonial-style villa. It offers a new level of luxury experiences for the well-travelled culinary connoisseur. The restaurant is an intimate and stylish drinking, dining and entertainment venue, with four meeting rooms, and a professional team for events planning and catering. There’s also a spacious cigar and smoking room, further accentuating that idea of old-world luxury that Brasserie 9 is trying to recapture.” On the food front, Brasserie 9 uses only the finest ingredients for their creations. “All of the superb elements are drawn together with the unrivalled expertise of our Chefs, to make sure that each customer enjoys the best authentic French cuisine on every visit.” This remains a keen focus for the restaurant, as they dedicate their efforts to ensuring that dining at Brasserie 9 is a treat, an experience to be cherished. “We are committed to giving all of our guests the best possible dining experiences, from the first contact with the guest through to the end of the meal: Excellent service, delicious food, beautiful surroundings. Quality permeates everything we do at every level of operation – we ensure this through high levels of commitment and dedication.” Naturally, the restaurant’s team play a vital role in bringing this goal to fruition. Here Knobel takes a moment to discuss Brasserie 9’s approach to employee training in more detail: “We create awareness through communication, training and comprehensive engagement activities. As we do this, we constantly monitor the performance of our staff to ensure high standards and high levels of service are met and maintained. At BAC Group (the restaurant’s Owner), we strongly believe training and developing employees are the key components in attracting talent, increasing productivity, and improving employee satisfaction. “This year, the company will be focusing more on succession planning and employee development. With over 2,100 employees at BAC, the turnover is less than 2% as a result of development and training. Ultimately, our employees love what they do which makes a remarkable impact on their service!” It would be remiss to not mention Bangkok in isolation – that is to say, how it has evolved over the last decade to become a gourmet dream, defined by world-class chefs at the height of their game. Knobel agrees, “Bangkok is a culinary paradise, with so many possibilities across the capital,