In a span of over two years, the Covid pandemic has not only changed, re-changed and shaped life as we know it today, it has also taught us a whole lot. The phrase “necessity is the mother of all inventions” cannot hold more true today as everywhere we turn, we are reminded of the resilience, creativity and adaptability that almost every industry on the planet has had to embrace. For the f&b industry, that invention and necessity was the Cloud Kitchen!   Even before the pandemic sent a ripple through the global F&B industry, the concept of ‘ ghost-kitchens’ or ‘clou ..read more

Can hotel restaurants have a spot on the table next to independently run establishments?    Since I founded Soho Hospitality 11 years ago, we have had our fair share of successes and failures as we run both hotel-operated and independently operated restaurants under our belt. The one thing that is clear in terms of trajectory over the last decade is that we have seen a sharp decline in the popularity of hotel operated restaurants and a rise in the success of stand-alone restaurants. So, what can hotel operators and owners do in light of this trend? Is there a secret recipe for ensuri ..read more

Most of the major transformations in the F&B industry have taken place in the last decade or so. Our plates became smaller, our cameras began eating before we did, we started paying more attention to where and how the food on our plates was sourced, we wanted more flavour and less pretence on our plates, technology began impacting what and where we ate, farm to table became a thing and so much more. The year 2020 was supposed to be one of celebration – the end of a decade and the beginning of a new one but all was suddenly curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet, one thing surely did accel ..read more

There are 1 billion Asian millennials in 2020 making up 60% of the Asian population.   The coronavirus pandemic has had the travel industry on its knees since its unwelcome appearance late last year and despite declining cases in some regions of the world, we still do not see light at the end of the travel restriction tunnel.   Covid-19 has dealt the ‘largest blow to tourism ever’ according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and its crippling effects have been felt worldwide. So, amidst the dark clouds, is there a road to local travel recovery? I believe so, a ..read more

In the ’80s and ’90s, the phrase “going out to eat” meant dressing up in our finest clothes and walking into a fancy restaurant situated in a luxurious hotel; complete with beautiful chandeliers, white table-tops and crystal table decor.   It was a time when hotels in Bangkok were not only flourishing with room sales but profiting heavily from their F&B outlets, catering mostly to a leisure-travel demographic with higher spending power.   It was during this golden era that the well-known brand names synonymous to top-notch dining experiences made their debut. The 5-star flagship ..read more

Charcoal Tandoor Grill today announced the arrival of Manjunath Mural as the Executive Chef of Soho Hospitality’s award winning Indian restaurant in Bangkok. Under the guidance of its Michelin starred chef, Charcoal aims to elevate gastronomical experiences revolving around its tandoor & Indian grill concept by introducing new influences and regional flavours from across India. Starting off in different kitchens to landing a job at various five star hotels, Mural has experienced a great deal in the world of modern Indian cuisine. Throughout his career he has had the opportunity to work wit ..read more

Koh Samui’s hottest hangout SEEN Samui Beach Club and Soho Hospitality have been awarded Best Luxury Commercial Interior Design in Thailand by the 13th Annual Luxury Lifestyle Awards 2021, by a judging panel of international architecture and design professionals.   The Luxury Lifestyle Awards are one of the most prestigious, respected, and recognized award brands for the luxury market. The awards are conducted via an independent research process and are regarded as one of the most distinguished in the world. The objective of these awards is to recognize excellence across the whole range ..read more

Bangkok’s Havana Social is a renowned speakeasy that’s regarded as one of the best  places to party in the Thai capital. Its creators, the design, F&B and digital marketing  agency Soho Hospitality, plan to bring the same secret pre-revolutionary 1940s Cuban  cocktail bar experience to Saigon. And they’ll do it with the ground-breaking Vietnam based F&B group Eight Four Collective.   The original Havana Social – so the story goes – was a hip hangout in Havana before Castro  seized power and the club was forced to close. That was until Havana Social was re ..read more

Top Trends in Interior Hotel Design The rapid growth and expansion of the travel and hospitality industry means that hotels can no longer count on their name and reputation to ensure customer loyalty. With every launch of a new hotel there are more and more quality properties to entice the traveler. Hotels need to spend more attention and money to maintain their customer base by featuring amenities that appeal to these valuable customers and enable them to rise above the competition. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the attention being spent on interior design in some of the world’s top h ..read more

Is There a Fusion of Western and Asian Design Influences? ‘Modern’ interior design back in the 60s was typified by Scandinavian design influences which became famous throughout the world for their clean lines, use of open space, and minimal flourishes. At least it was in the ‘western’ world of Europe and the Americas. But didn’t Japanese interior design also feature these same spare touches into their own design aesthetic? In fact the Japanese had been featuring their own design style for thousands of years before the west became infatuated with the Scandinavian design style and named it the d ..read more