Winfried Hancke, Group Director of Operations at Centara Hotels & Resorts

Winfried Hancke has called Thailand home for the past 15 years. Arriving as a young chef, he developed a fascination for the cuisine right from the outset. He taught Thai cooking to countless tourists, has been a food columnist, cooked Thai food on German TV and even prepared Thai cuisine for members of the Thai Royal Family.

He is the author of Spice Cuisine Thailand, an interactive Thai cooking CD Rom course that received the Golden Ladle winning prize at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Award.

Winfried has in recent years swapped his chef's jacket for a business suit, as he is now part of the management team at Centara Hotels & Resorts, but his passion for food continues as strongly as ever.


TravelDailyNews: We are witnessing a growing popularity of Thai cuisine around the globe over recent years. What is it about Thai food that is fascinating food lovers worldwide?

Winfried Hancke: Thai food has appeal which goes beyond borders and continents due to its versatility and flavours. The fascination of Thai food for me lies in the simplicity, where a couple of simple ingredients carefully balanced by chefs create a stunning dish. Seemingly strong ingredients such as fish sauce blend into delicate dishes without standing out.

TDN: Centara is a Thai hotel group operating internationally. Do you see yourselves as global ambassadors of Thai culinary traditions?

W.H.: We always aim to bring with us a component of Thai cuisine to international destinations. Whenever possible we feature Thai restaurants as part of our hotels. Those kitchens are run by hugely talented Thai chefs who put inspiration and passion into everything they do. We find pleasure in sharing this cultural treasure with our guests. All our Thai restaurants also feature Thai cooking classes where we share our passion with guests, who can then take their new skills home to treat their families and friends.

TDN: If you were asked to explain the "Thainess" in Thai cuisine, which characteristics would you mention as explaining the uniqueness of Thailand's culinary traditions?

W.H.: Traditionally Thai dining is a social experience where many individual dishes are shared amongst diners. Over the past 20 years in which I personally have been exposed to the cuisine, I found that the principles of the cuisine have never changed. The key of a successful dish is the balancing act of sweet, sour, salty and spicy. It is fascinating that a Thai dish can be balanced on different levels. One might use for example one spoon of fish sauce or three in the same dish. If balanced correctly the dish would not become overly salty – just be elevated to a higher flavour level.

TDN: Exactly what kind of food experiences are you offering at your hotels?

W.H.: We believe that dining is an holistic experience and that all aspects of the experience must be taken under consideration to provide a memorable dining experience. As with any cuisine, we trust that we must stay true to the origins in regards to taste. Our menus do often feature three different components, which are a classical offering, a regional section where a province of Thailand is represented, and finally some modern components.We aim to surprise diners with clever and unusual presentations.

TDN: We are seeing a growing polarisation of ethnic cuisines around the world, with some chefs strictly adhering to the traditional recipes and cooking methods, while others are opting for a more creative and even iconoclastic approach to their respective country's culinary heritage. How do you deal with the dilemma "traditional vs. modern Thai cuisine" at Centara?

W.H.: There are classics which should never be touched in Thai cuisine as they are rooted so deeply in traditions. As mentioned, some recipes handed down by generations of chefs have not changed for centuries. Those we must protect and stay true to them. We do consider to explore new applications as new ingredients become globally available which might not have been available previously. Applying creative twists to dishes is always welcome but ultimately all follow core principles of the cuisine.

TDN: How do you see Thai cuisine evolving over the next years?

W.H.: Thai cuisine is positioned perfectly at this moment. Artisan cuisine, handcrafted food prepared by passionate experts, is gaining popularity around the world. In a true sense Thai food is artisan at heart. On another level, portion sizes seem to become smaller in diners' preferences – they seem to be more at ease in sampling several dishes at once instead of committing to one larger item. Thai food is based on that principle which naturally matches this trend.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews