The Urban Nest
FAKE. It's hard to ignore the bright neon blue lights spelling out these four letters at the end of the kitchen counter at IGNIV Bangkok. The sign serves as a constant reminder to IGNIV hosts that in a world with fake news, fake emotions, and fake goods, to stay true to their beliefs and culinary philosophy.
Ever since it opened in 2020, IGNIV Bangkok continues to provide an authentic experience with genuine hospitality, and to create real moments of happiness for all diners.
With its unique Swiss Fine Dining Sharing concept, IGNIV celebrates not only the pleasure of sharing excellent cuisine, but also the time spent together - with each other, and engaging with the kitchen and service team.
The first IGNIV to open outside of Switzerland, IGNIV Bangkok was awarded its first Michelin Star in the 2022 edition of Michelin Guide Thailand. The win elevated IGNIV Bangkok alongside founding chef Andreas Caminada's all-MICHELIN-starred family of restaurants in Switzerland, including Schloss Schauenstein (***), IGNIV St. Moritz (**), IGNIV Bad Ragaz (**), and IGNIV Zurich (*).
The kitchen team at IGNIV Bangkok is led by Head Chef David Hartwig, a longtime collaborator of Chef Andreas and formerly one of his most promising talents at Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau, Switzerland. Chef Arne Riehn was also handpicked by the founding chef for the role of Sous Chef and Pastry Chef, and Regina D'Souza was tasked with overseeing the entire operation as Restaurant Manager.
Though the IGNIV concept remains at the heart of the experience, each of the location's Head Chef showcases their own individual style. At IGNIV Bangkok, Chef David brings his calm and precise demeanor, amplifying creativity through his team and complementing Chef Arne's detailed and confident style - a perfect working balance of introvert and extrovert, calm and charismatic.
Each IGNIV embrace different local products available in their respective locations, but a few signature dishes, including chicken nugget and beef tartare, are available across all four IGNIV locations as an homage to its shared roots.
On arrival, guests are invited to sit at the kitchen counter, where they can enjoy welcome snacks and have the opportunity to interact with the chefs before arriving at their reserved table to enjoy the rest of the meal.
The Modern Swiss Cuisine at IGNIV Bangkok - rooted in Europe with origins in Switzerland and influences from all over the world - may be considered "fine dining", but the dining experience here is delightfully lively and the service friendly and approachable. Rather than serving individual dishes in each course as the norm with fine dining restaurants, IGNIV serves multiple dishes for each course, placed at the center of the table for diners to share. In total, guests will have a total of 17 - 19 dishes in a sharing experience.
The menu changes four times per year, based on the seasons of IGNIV's European heritage. With a passion for locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, Chef David and Chef Arne personally seek out small-batch suppliers and artisanal producers for the freshest in-season produce to create imaginative dishes at IGNIV Bangkok.
Wine and beverage pairing options are offered with the experience, featuring mainly labels from small wine producers in Switzerland and Germany. In the spirit of sharing, a selection of magnum bottles of wine is also available. The restaurant's handcrafted cocktail and mocktail menu, created by Nongyao Phutsorn, changes seasonally and is offered alongside a selection of Thai craft beers, local digestifs and a range of unique beverages.
IGNIV means ‘nest' in Chef Andreas's mother tongue Romansh, and for the Bangkok restaurant, acclaimed Spanish interior designer Patricia Urquiola recreated the signature embracing atmosphere of IGNIV by conveying the idea of a warm and intimate cocoon. Through the use of wood, handcrafted fabrics, vases and bronze furnishings, the design also communicates details of the local culture in a subtle and never predictable way.
Chef Andreas's passion for the arts extend beyond the kitchen. An avid art collector, he handpicks pieces from his personal collection to showcase in his restaurants as part of the IGNIV Art Collection. At IGNIV Bangkok, works by Swiss-Argentinian painter Vivian Suter and Japanese pop artist Keiichi Tanami adorn the walls.