Mint spotlights Michelin kitchens in Asia

Mint Lounge on April 25 published a feature on Michelin-starred restaurants in Asia, arguing the region’s most watched kitchens are reworking tradition with restraint instead of spectacle. (livemint.com) The story opens with Michelin’s centenary and says the guide’s influence now stretches from travel bookings to city dining reputations across Asia. It spotlights kitchens in Bangkok, Tokyo and Hong Kong as examples of that shift. (livemint.com) Among the restaurants Mint names are Sühring in Bangkok, run by twins Mathias Sühring and Thomas Sühring, and Narisawa in Tokyo, led by Yoshihiro Narisawa. It also singles out Potong in Bangkok, where chef Pichaya “Pam” Soontornyanakij works from Thai-Chinese family history. (livemint.com) Mint describes Sühring through dishes tied to German childhood flavors, including a wafer filled with duck liver and apricot, and describes Narisawa through its Satoyama philosophy, seasonal ingredients and table-baked bread course. The through line is memory, fermentation and regional sourcing rather than maximal plating. (livemint.com) That framing matches Michelin’s current listings. The 2026 Michelin Guide Thailand lists Sühring as a three-star restaurant, while the 2026 Michelin Guide Japan lists Narisawa at two stars and the 2026 Michelin Guide Thailand lists Potong at one. (guide.michelin.com 1) (guide.michelin.com 2) (guide.michelin.com 3) Mint also points to Wing in Hong Kong, where chef-owner Vicky Cheng reinterprets Chinese flavors with global ingredients and European technique. Michelin’s Hong Kong listing describes Wing in similar terms, centered on contemporary Chinese tasting menus. (livemint.com) (guide.michelin.com) The article arrives as Michelin keeps widening its footprint in Asia beyond fine dining capitals. In October 2025, Michelin launched its first Philippines selection and named 25 Bib Gourmand restaurants across Manila and Cebu for the 2026 guide. (guide.michelin.com) That Bib Gourmand list included Brick Corner in Taguig, which Michelin describes as focused on North Indian cooking at moderate prices. The contrast with Mint’s star-heavy feature shows Michelin pushing both luxury tasting menus and lower-priced destination dining in the region at the same time. (guide.michelin.com) The result is a snapshot of an Asian dining map that now runs from three-star villas in Bangkok to value-focused neighborhood rooms in Manila. Mint’s feature treats the stars as the headline, but Michelin’s own rollout shows the guide is broadening the field underneath them. (livemint.com) (guide.michelin.com)