Food Photography Southeast Asia: Restaurant Bo.lan

Food Photography Southeast Asia – Thailand | Malaysia | Vietnam | Singapore etc.

Exploring Southeast Asia through food photography, getting to know the origins of local cuisines and cultures – Bolan restaurant has been one of my personal highlights so far in terms of immersing myself in gastronomic microcosms and multicultural working environments.

Famed Thai Restaurant Bo.Lan’s authentic cooking draws influence from the country’s ubiquitous street food and home-cooking traditions as well as its refined palace-style cuisine. Only the tastiest organic, locally sourced products are used and the restaurant follows a strict no carbon footprint ethic. A Michelin star and No. 19 in the list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants have proven Thai-born chef Duangporn ‘Bo’ Songvisava and Australian-born chef Dylan ‘Lan’ Jones’ concept to be highly successful.

From the very beginning, Bolan has attached great importance to sustainability and ecology: Only selected organic products from the region are used and the restaurant follows strict ethics to leave a zero carbon footprint. Recently, the team has started workshops to educate gastronomy professionals and interested laypeople about the intersection between food and the environment.

Their menus are an essence of ancient recipes, contemporary elements and insights gained from exchange with local farmers, fishermen and other producers. A Michelin star and 19th place in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list has proven the concept of Thai-born chef Duangporn ‘Bo’ Songvisava and Australian chef Dylan ‘Lan’ Jones to be hugely successful.

This PR food photography series not only emphasizes the aesthetics of excellent modern Thai cuisine and its presentation, but also Bolan’s essence: the value of each ingredient and its handling, while capturing the atmosphere in the kitchen, among staff, and the aesthetic of the restaurant itself. Signature dishes include seafood curry, grilled squid with papaya salad, and rice noodles with galangal and chili jam.

Every single food photograph, every staff portrait and behind-the-scenes shot from the kitchen, and finally the entire photo series as a whole convey a consistent visual message: From the smallest detail to the overall concept, this restaurant celebrates the roots of Thai cuisine, its ingredients and the people behind it to the fullest.