Most fine-dining experiences start and end around the table. On some occasions, you’re invited into the kitchen to watch the chef work his magic. But, at Jampa, one of Thailand’s few restaurants to boast a Michelin Green Star, the meal begins much before you get to your table!
Nestled within Phuket’s Tri Vananda wellness enclave, and attached to the Trisara Resort, Jampa is an extraordinary example of true farm-to-table dining. As soon as I get to the foyer, I’m given a small introduction about their philosophy around ingredients, zero-waste cooking, sustainable practices, ethical supply chains, and regenerative methods, before being whisked off to their farm!
city-bred diners. Image: Priya Pathiyan / Luxurylaunches.
Walking around the green space dotted with lotus ponds and a lake, I get a chance to see for myself all the richness that the Jampa menu draws from. The glorious produce growing, luscious fruit hanging heavy from the trees, stingless honeybees hard at work, as well as the al fresco space where guests are sometimes hosted. Smiling gardeners waving as I walk by as they sit and work in the sunlight filtering through cacao trees. This idyllic scene is the perfect foil for what follows. I walk back to the main Jampa restaurant, which is built on stilts and surrounded by 200+ acres of greenery. Settling in comfortably into their bright and welcoming space, I pick a drink from their extensive menu, happy to see low-ABV as well as zero-proof cocktails.
My virgin Tom Kha is a very modern clarified milk punch but with all the timeless Thai flavours — coconut and tomato, redolent with galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves. As I sip and savour it, the team brings forth a delicate trio of bite-sized pre-lunch treats — sunflower seed cake with tomato jam; crispy potato, topped with egg yolk cream, and pickled leaves; and my favourite, the simple yet sensational barbecue sweet corn with tapioca!
My dining companions and I move to the main restaurant area, where some incredible culinary theatrics unfold, course by course. Under the leadership of Chef Im, the kitchen is guided by a deep respect for nature, seasonality, and locally grown ingredients. The ruby-red Mexican sunflower that the chef had shown me growing on the farm, now appears in a gorgeous presentation, each perfect petal so crisp and delicious, topped with beetroot and mustard. Part of the art presented in this course is a mushroom XO tart. Sprinkled with powdered turmeric, it speaks rounded umami as well as an interesting sharpness.
of this course, although the mushroom XO tart is quite a scene stealer in its own right. Image: Priya Pathiyan / Luxurylaunches.
and colour, but crispness adds texture while the mustard mimics pollen! Image: Priya Pathiyan / Luxurylaunches.
Another stunner on the plate is the garland of heirloom tomato with bael fruit from Chiang Mai and a consommé made with strawberries from the farm. This dish takes tartness to a whole new level, and my tongue is rather relieved when the sweetness of the next course comes along. It’s barbecued carrot with longan and fermented soybean. The texture of the many-layered carrot is a many-splendoured thing, and the creamy velouté-like sauce is a great accompaniment. I end the savoury part of the meal with free-range chicken and young broccoli, another hat-tip to the poultry and vegetables from the farm.
Dessert arrives on a cart hidden inside a pineapple. But after it’s assembled and mixed to resemble individual smoothie bowls, I discover that it’s a magnificent mash-up of seasonal fruits (Phuket pineapple, mulberry, passionfruit) with mint, aloe vera and hibiscus. It’s a modern twist on trad Thai desserts and one that makes me want to go back to Jampa for it again and again.
it can be. The Michelin Green Star that it has earned again is truly well deserved. Image: Priya Pathiyan / Luxurylaunches.
Although I’ve given you the detailed lowdown on my meal at this stellar restaurant that truly deserves its Michelin Green Star, the fact is that every visit is bound to be deliciously different. It will depend on the seasonal produce available and the chef’s changing vision. Which makes it even more exciting for me as a diner, guaranteeing repeat visits, and continued delight.
