For the last decade, Garima Arora has worked alongside some of the culinary world’s biggest names: Gordon Ramsay (as a commis chef at Verre), René Redzepi (as a chef de partie at Noma) and Gaggan Anand (as a sous chef at Gaggan). Last year, she threw open the doors to GAA, her own establishment in the Thai capital, where she marries local, seasonal ingredients with her Indian heritage and the techniques she has picked up during her globe-spanning career, to create what she calls “modern eclectic cuisine: reinterpreting the fine-dining experience by fusing the wisdom of age-old cuisines and newer techniques.” As a restaurateur, Arora is big on in-house processes, and GAA has an entire room (and currently one intern) dedicated to the subtle art of fermentation. From cultured butter to fish sauce, everything is perfected under her expert eye and the unwavering skill of her team. GAA even ferments its own cocktails (the Koji Gin & Tonic features fermented rice). If you aren’t already impressed, here’s the kicker: GAA just became the first restaurant helmed by a female Indian chef to ever win a Michelin star.
