If there is one thing that the world's most famous Indian chef does well, it's not staying still.
Gaggan Anand recently opened a new chapter in his Bangkok restaurant, undergoing a transformative evolution, akin to a phoenix rising from the ashes. The reimagined Gaggan draws inspiration from the concept of chakras, harmonising the power of food and the body.
A meal at the new Gaggan is a sensory, visual, mental and spiritual journey that will expand horizons through the art of dining. The most significant shift in Gaggan's perception of dining experiences, the entire "dinner and a show" took 11 months to conceptualise, plan and execute.
"It took me eight months to come up with the concept and sketch the entire menu with the ingredients detailed. I presented it to the team, who then took another three months to bring my sketches and dishes to life with a lot of R&D," says the chef. Though he and his team, including head chef Fabio Costa, aren't yet done.
"We have dedicated the past year to meticulously crafting this new Gaggan experience. Every aspect of the establishment undergoes a profound transformation: the food, the menu, the decor, the house, the kitchen, the waiting room. However, the core of Gaggan remains unchanged -- our team and our rebellious family.
"When we became Asia's No.1 restaurant [in 2025], I thought that we reached the peak of what we were doing at that time and I wanted people to come the following year and try something new. I began thinking of how to use the leverage to build my real dream, to reach where I can and that's why no mobile phones or cameras are allowed.
"These days we are always on our phones and not to be on the phone is tough.
"The new format is very detailed, because there's no reference, no book, no app and no way you can come to a conclusion because it's through trial and error and everything that we had as an error, we put that together.
"Chakras are energy centres that open your senses on different points of your body. I wanted to connect it to an awakening and evolution of a person. It's like opening a third eye, your sensuality and different parts of your body that are blocked.
"I want people to come and not be blocked by different things. That's why there is a social detox, so I can open up their senses. This is also why I put the Indian good luck symbol in my logo, which is akin to putting good luck towards my name.
"The new format is seven dishes for the seven chakras over the course of four acts: Juvenile, Defiance, Prominence and Nirvana. The seven chakras are: Knowledge, Trust, Expression, Compassion, Personality, Sensuality and Comfort. However, if I connected every course to the chakras in the true sense of the word, diners would be confused. So I let them feel it.
"For example, there's a black forest cake, which you see and trust is a black forest cake. However, the minute it hits your tongue, it is something else. I have depicted Expression in a 'dying eggplant'. It's an expression of what I believe in, that a dying animal is plant-friendly and Compassion is represented as a khichdi, which I love. The sesame Rubik's Cube takes four to five hours just to cut out the tiny squares. The som tam dish takes around 45 minutes just to assemble each plate. So every course is detailed and well thought-out.
"If you're trying to understand what a chakra is, I am not using sound waves but I'm going by sensuality, texture, look, feel and emotions. I'm creating sounds to go with each dish."
The journey into the chakras begins the minute you enter the theatre of Gaggan where you're guided through the Walk Of Life -- seven of the chef's favourite songs.
"Each lyric means something personal to me. It begins with 'I've been here waiting for you so long' and ends with lyrics by Pink Floyd 'Mother, do you think they'll drop the bomb?', which is rather poignant in this turbulent world. So I'm giving a strong message about love and uncertainty and it's very deep because is this the 'Way I die'? 'Warriors struggling' is who I am and I'm struggling to be relevant at the age of 48 with 29 years of cooking. I think that is very important. The Walk Of Life is all the things that I feel as my emotions," says the chef.
The next room is a bar-like space, though it feels more like you're experiencing a sound bath. "I didn't want to have a typical bar. The Compass Box is where I showcase my whiskey, blended by me and manufactured by Compass Box. It was not about having just a brand, it was about how much effort I put into making my whiskey label."
The menu at the new awoken Gaggan is 28 courses and is the most technical menu, yet.
"I also went pretty Indian heavy, even with the music. It's called nirvana or opening up your mind and not being scared of who you are. I'm most Indian heavy because though I've been saying I'm going Japanese, I went back to my senses. It's like artists and their albums. The last album of the Foo Fighters was criticised, but the new album is back on track. That inspired me," explains the chef.
"My culinary philosophy has also changed with this. I've been out of India for 20 years and now that I go often to India because of Raga [a new restaurant opening in Delhi and a collaboration with group executive chef Rydo Anton], and in the last two years, I've done a lot of pop-ups with Indian chefs. Every time I go back to India, my palate gets more Indian and that's why you see a botan ebi kebab with saffron, but it's so present and yet so Indian.
"This menu is what I have reduced by half. Our menu next year will be even double the techniques. We are also working with a perfume manufacturer for something later, and we've got new uniforms coming."
The experience at Gaggan is more than just the food. It is the music, the four acts and how everything comes together like a well-oiled, well-choreographed machine.
"I am a composer. Almost every bit of the evening is controlled by me on my iPad, with lighting playing a very important part of the equation. This took around six months of design and from there I spoke with the person who created the mirror ball for me. I wanted it to depict a strong message. In a world so politically divided, this is the place where nothing matters except love," explains chef Anand.
"From 'Mother, do you think they'll drop the bomb?' to my signature 'Lick It Up', it is all related. They give a strong message; leave your religion, your political beliefs, your hate outside the door. No phones allowed and that's all connected.
"All of this while offering a glimpse into my culture. This is the most personal menu and format I've ever created at Gaggan. And that's why I say it's Juvenile and Defiance in things that are tasted; Prominence in things that are added in fame; and then Nirvana. Nirvana means simple dishes like Gobindobhog rice and corn khichdi, which to me is comfort."
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