< Previous505152535455 Model: MATCHA MOSIMANN Photographer: KRITTEE PONGSEREE, HYENA STUDIO Asst.Photographer: BANDIT SANGPARN, NATTANAN SITTHIRANGSINAN, PHATTHARADA APKARAT, NARENRIT YINGYONGKIJ Drone: JULAJAK SAENGARUN Lighting: HYENA LIGHTING Stylist: A.Y.STYLED Asst Stylist: NUNE NUMKEAW Make up: NATDANAI BOONYARATPLIN Hair Stylist: RINRADA YIMLAMAI Cloths: CLOTHES: CHERZ, DOLCE, ASAVA, FAHCHAK, NICHP, VELADE Shoe: JIMMY CHOO, DOLCE &GABBANA, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Accessory: MATARA, SWAROVSKI Location: TERRA ITALIAN RESTAURANT Address: 18 Satun Rd, Talat Nuea, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000 T: +66 9 5368 0888 W: terraphuket.com56 Exciting news from Phuket Island: House of Tin Baron, a significant landmark that dates to the tin mining era, is now home to the newest, most exclusive restaurant and champagne bar in town run by business mogul Deepak Ohri and his international team. Born into a modest family in India, Ohri has now run Luxury Atelier Maison Happiness (LAMH), his global business brand, for decades from his headquarters in both Bangkok and Miami. He is now expanding his innovative vision to Phuket, Thailand’s largest island. RAISES PHUKET TO NEW HEIGHTS DEEPAK OHRI DEEPAK OHRI 57 SPECIAL PROMOTION • BACKGROUND AND PASSION • With his motto “Let’s just dream”, Ohri raised the benchmarks of extravagance in the hospitality sector early on. He trusts that no matter where you come from, triumph is achievable. “I started my career in hospitality and over a period of time, transformed into luxury business. I believe I have demonstrated over the years that I create cities as destinations, as I did Bangkok for gastronomy.” Deepak Ohri is renowned for his discovery of State Tower in Bangkok and transforming its rooftop space with a golden dome into a global culinary icon with two Michelin-starred restaurants in one building: Lebua Chef’s Table a French fine dining restaurant, and Mezzaluna. The rooftop restaurants and bars at Lebua have been Bangkok’s iconic check-in spots for decades. Mediterranean-inspired Sirocco gained worldwide fame after being featured in the Hollywood film The Hangover. It is also recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s highest outdoor restaurant. • A GLOBAL DESTINATION • When it comes to Phuket, Ohri believes “There’s no other place than Phuket to launch this transformational project. Phuket isn’t Thailand; Phuket is global.” His eyes gleam when mentioning the island. “What Phuket needs today is something like House of Tin Baron. There’s already demands in Phuket. What we’re doing is bringing in the supply.” He demonstrated an interesting point of view, “Let’s look at a hotel in Phuket and the same hotel brand in Bangkok at this very moment. You will see that the rate in Phuket is three times higher. Even the coffee from the world’s most famous café costs more in Phuket than the rest of the country. Actually, everything is much more expensive in Phuket. In general, Phuket people have the most spending power in Thailand. In certain ways Phuket is more challenging than Bangkok because there is no supply, there is only demand. Therefore, we’re bringing in the supply. For us, marketing strategy in Phuket is easy. You don’t have to create demand.” • LOCATION • Despite Phuket being a stunning island renowned for its beautiful beaches, Deepak Ohri chose Phuket Old Town over the beach for several compelling reasons. “If Phuket is going to survive the next decade, beaches are not going to help more. What is going to help is its culture, its people and its history, and the Old Town has got all three. That is where luxury travellers will go, and that is why we chose Phuket Old Town and not the beach.” • WHY ITALIAN? • When asked about the type of cuisine he decided on for House of Tin Baron, he selected Italian for many reasons. “There are 55,000 Italian restaurants in Thailand and none of them has a Michelin star, so we want to be here and show people that Italian cuisine in Thailand can get that recognition. Hopefully, we’ll do it in 2025.” •HOUSE OF TIN BARON • There are four chefs in House of Tin Baron, each international and possessing skills tailored for different sections. Ohri explained, “We will do Terra, which is Italian, and the world’s first Louis Roederer Cristal Room. There are only two places that serve Cristal exclusively, one of course will be House of Tin Baron and the other is 30,000 feet above ground in first class cabins of Singapore Airlines. Cristal is a very rare Champagne; you can’t find a lot of it but we are offering five different vintages. They could have chosen anywhere, like Monte Carlo, but they chose Phuket. We opened and started service on the first day of December. Next year we will open a bar and another fine- dining restaurant that will serve only eight seats in the kitchen; it’s not a chef’s table, you’re dining in a plain kitchen. But House of Tin Baron is a culinary destination where you can roam. You can come for dinner, you can stop by the bar or you can walk into the Champagne cellar.” He speaks proudly about the property. “This is a mansion where once you enter the green door, you enter a world of perfection. Green signifies luxury.” • FAVOURITE PLACES AROUND PHUKET • When asked about any favourite places on the island, Ohri replied “I like Day & Night of Phuket. Luxury is not always about being expensive but also about being expressive. When it is expensive, it has a price tag but when it is expressive, it is emotional. So I like Day & Night of Phuket, its atmosphere is very good. I also like Hotel Verdigris, the boutique hotel which is such a great property. And of course, I love House of Tin Baron where our Italian dining concept is unique and we are open for everyone. All the luxury places in Thailand charge for still and sparkling water but at House of Tin Baron, these are complimentary.” • LAST WORDS • The founder and CEO of Luxury Atelier Maison Happiness is recognised for his leadership and considered to be a luxury hospitality expert who never stops and keep pushing for the next project. When asking about settling down in one place he replied with an amused smile, “I see myself as a global citizen rather than being limited to one place”.58 Lifestyle+Travel magazine marked its momentous 21st anniversary with an elegant awards ceremony and gala celebration at the prestigious Sofitel Sukhumvit Bangkok. The exclusive event brought together the magazine's most valued clients, sponsors, supporters, and friends from across the travel and lifestyle industry. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards recognising outstanding achievements in various lifestyle and travel categories. Distinguished recipients included experts in different genres and leading lifestyle and travel organizations who have consistently demonstrated excellence and innovation in their respective fields. These awards celebrate individuals and entities that have significantly contributed to advancing the industry while maintaining exceptional standards of service and experience. The sophisticated ambiance of Sofitel Sukhumvit provided the perfect backdrop for this prestigious gathering, where guests enjoyed premium hospitality and networking opportunities. The evening's entertainment reached its peak with a special performance by Nuvo, one of Thailand's most acclaimed bands, who delivered an unforgettable musical experience that had guests dancing well into the night. The event not only celebrated the magazine's past achievements but also reinforced Lifestyle+Travel's position as a leading authority in the travel and lifestyle sector. The gathering of industry leaders, travel experts, and luxury brands under one roof highlighted the magazine's extensive network and influence within the industry. LIFESTYLE+TRAVELLIFESTYLE+TRAVEL MAGAZINE CELEBRATES 21 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE WITH GRAND GALA EVENT59Next >