IGNIV Bangkok
The brainchild of Andreas Caminada, head chef of the internationally acclaimed 3-Michelin-starred restaurant Schloss Schauenstein in Switzerland, IGNIV Bangkok will open from October 9, 2020, with a sharing-style fine dining experience ideally suited to Thailand's vibrant capital.
The kitchen team of IGNIV Bangkok is led by the talented Chef David Hartwig, along with his Sous Chef / Pastry Chef Arne Riehn, along with Restaurant Manager Regina D'Souza and Head Sommelier Yongyuth Udompat to join the high-profile team in Bangkok.
Head Chef David Hartwig
Swiss-born David Hartwig, new Head Chef at IGNIV Bangkok, was handpicked by IGNIV´s founding chef Andreas Caminada to bring the concept's unique joie de vivre to diners in Bangkok. Prior to Chef Andreas's 3-Michelin-starred restaurant Schloss Schauenstein in Switzerland, the talented 29-year-old chef worked in the kitchens of other highly acclaimed restaurants including Maaemo (Oslo, Norway), The NoMad Hotel (New York, USA), Wallsé (New York, USA) and Hotel Paradies (Ftan, Switzerland).
Sous Chef / Pastry Chef Arne Riehn
German-born Chef Arne Riehn was personally selected by IGNIV founder Andreas Caminada as Sous Chef and Pastry Chef for IGNIV Bangkok. In his dual role, the 30-year-old chef assists in all aspects of planning and managing the kitchen, and is in charge of the signature IGNIV Candy Store. Chef Arne joins IGNIV Bangkok from Andreas Caminada's team in Fürstenau, Switzerland, where he was responsible for the organic wood-fired stone oven bakery and its fine selection of handcrafted artisan breads. Being a professionally trained baker and confectioner, Arne has gained wide experiences as pastry chef in acclaimed restaurants - including 3-Michelin-starred Vendôme in Germany. In 2018, he was chosen as the first Uccelin Scholar by Fundaziun Uccelin, a foundation initiated by Andreas Caminada which fosters promising chefs and service talents with individually composed training units at the world's best restaurants.
Restaurant Manager Regina D'Souza
In charge of managing and overseeing the entire restaurant operation as Restaurant Manager is Thai-born Regina D'Souza, known to her friends and colleagues as "Gina". The F&B professional joins IGNIV Bangkok from The Workshop 211, a community she founded in 2019 to provide workshops and promote an organic food and drinks lifestyle. Before that, Gina was with Etihad Airways, where she led the business class team as In-flight F&B Manager. Gina brings with her 20 years of F&B experience, of which over half were in hotels in the Maldives and across Thailand, including in Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya, and Chiang Rai. Her passion and positivity have seen her chosen to join several pre- and opening teams, including at The St. Regis Bangkok from 2010 - 2011.
Head Sommelier Yongyuth Udompat
Yongyuth has over 16 years of solid background in five-star hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants in Bangkok, starting out as a waiter and working his way up to bartender and then Head Sommelier. He joins IGNIV from Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, where he was Senior Wine Guru. Over the years, Yongyuth has earned a reputation as an expert in the wine and dine community, equally proficient in all aspects from back-of-house responsibilities as well as assisting with wine pairing recommendation during service. He keeps up to date with the latest trends and newest releases, and is an active participant in competitions, including Thailand's Best Sommelier, in which he ranked as a finalist every year from 2015 to 2019 consecutively, except for 2016 when he joined the World Class Bartender Competition.
