SORN - Fine Southern Thai Cuisine

About Sorn

A Journey Through The South

Sorn grew from Chef Supaksorn ‘Ice’ Jongsiri’s lifelong connection to Southern Thailand and from the legacy of his grandmother, whose kitchen first taught him that food is an expression of time, generosity and love.

Years later, while building Baan Ice, Chef Ice began looking beyond the recipes inherited from his family. He returned to the South and travelled through all 14 provinces, learning directly from farmers, orchard growers, fishermen, home cooks and local communities.

Along the way, he discovered remarkable regional ingredients and traditional cooking techniques that were steadily disappearing from contemporary life. More importantly, he recognised the human devotion behind them—the hours once spent preparing food for a family, without shortcuts and without haste.

These encounters became the foundation of Sorn: a restaurant devoted to preserving the culinary wisdom of the South while presenting it with precision, creativity and a contemporary point of view. Every experience is shaped by the region’s forests, coastlines, communities and seasons.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Honouring the Past. Cooking for the Future.

At Sorn, refinement begins with respect—and respect begins with time.

We believe that Southern Thai cuisine does not need to be reinvented to become extraordinary. Its depth already exists within its ingredients, its techniques and the accumulated knowledge of generations.

For generations, grandmothers and home cooks could spend an entire day preparing a meal for the people they loved. Their food carried more than flavour: it carried patience, devotion and care. In a world increasingly shaped by speed and convenience, Sorn chooses to protect the value of that time.

Our role is to understand this knowledge, preserve what is in danger of being forgotten and allow each flavour to be expressed with clarity. Ancient techniques are approached with contemporary precision, while creativity remains guided by the character and intention of the original dish.

Sorn is not simply a celebration of Southern Thai food. It is a commitment to carrying its stories, wisdom and identity forward.

THE NAME

THE SPIRIT OF SORN

The name ‘Sorn’ is derived from ‘Sorana,’ a Sanskrit expression describing a person who depends upon his own strength, rises towards prosperity and shares that success with others.

This meaning reflects the spirit at the heart of the restaurant: self-reliance, perseverance and generosity.

For Sorn, success is not measured by recognition alone. It is also found in the ability to support communities, preserve culinary knowledge and create opportunities for the people who carry these traditions forward.

THE CHEF

Supaksorn ‘Ice’ Jongsiri

Chef Supaksorn ‘Ice’ Jongsiri grew up in his grandmother’s kitchen in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Years later, while leading Baan Ice, he began reflecting on the contrast between the speed of modern dining and the time, patience and love once devoted to preparing a family meal. This became the idea at the heart of Sorn.

Driven by curiosity, Chef Ice travelled throughout Southern Thailand in search of unseen ingredients, untold stories and unwritten culinary knowledge. He learned directly from farmers, growers, fishermen, home cooks and long-established local restaurants—discovering recipes, preparation methods and techniques refined and passed down through generations.

Much of this knowledge could not be found in cookbooks or learned outside its place of origin. Sorn brings these discoveries together, preserving the wisdom of the South and expressing it through Chef Ice’s own perspective.

AMBIENCE AND SERVICE

A Southern Home in Bangkok

Sorn is set within a restored house in the heart of Bangkok, designed to evoke the richness and abundance of Southern Thailand.

The interiors draw inspiration from the region’s tropical forests, natural textures and traditional craftsmanship. Antique cooking utensils, woven details and works of Thai art appear throughout the restaurant, including rare pieces from Chef Ice’s personal collection.

Hospitality is an essential part of the experience. Our service is warm, attentive and deeply personal, reflecting the generosity traditionally associated with welcoming guests into a Southern home.

From the first greeting to the final course, every detail is considered as part of one continuous journey.

THE KITCHEN

Time as an Ingredient

The kitchen at Sorn is guided by techniques that require patience, discipline and an understanding of fire. Many were learned directly from the people who continue to practise them across Southern Thailand.

Charcoal cooking, clay-pot preparation, stone grinding and the traditional steaming of rice are among the methods that remain central to our work. Chilli pastes are prepared in-house using a pestle and mortar, allowing their fragrance, texture and heat to develop naturally.

These processes often require more time and physical effort than modern alternatives, but their purpose extends beyond preserving tradition. Each technique creates a distinct depth of flavour that cannot be achieved in quite the same way by any other means.

Ingredients are handled thoughtfully and used as completely as possible. Our chefs look beyond the most prized cuts or familiar produce, searching for flavour in elements that may otherwise be overlooked.

In our kitchen, time is not an obstacle to efficiency. It is an expression of care—and one of the most important ingredients.

THE SOUTH

From Source to Sorn

Every ingredient at Sorn begins with a relationship to Southern Thailand.

Our produce is sourced directly from farmers, fishermen and small communities across the region. The quality of each ingredient is considered together with its place of origin, its season and the knowledge of the people responsible for it.

The South offers an extraordinary diversity of seafood, herbs, fruits, spices and native produce—some rarely encountered beyond their local communities. By working closely with our sources, we are able to introduce guests to flavours that may be unfamiliar, yet remain unmistakably Southern.

Nature determines what is available and when it is at its best. For this reason, our cooking continues to respond to the seasons, the weather and the sea.

THE CELLAR

A Classic Perspective

The cellar at Sorn brings together more than 500 labels, selected with a preference for classic regions, respected producers and wines of distinctive character.

Our wine programme is designed to complement the complexity of Southern Thai cuisine—its spice, acidity, richness, smoke and layers of aromatic flavour. Each recommendation considers not only an individual dish, but also the progression and rhythm of the complete menu.

Alongside our wine selection, carefully considered pairings offer guests another way to experience the dialogue between the cuisine of the South and the wider world of wine.

Born from the South.
Rooted in memory.
Made with time.

SEASONAL MENU

SELECTED DATE:

October 2026: 19–22 and 26–28
November 2026: 16–19 and 23–26

These selected dates allow us to carefully manage the sourcing and preparation required for both the Classic and Seasonal Menus. The Seasonal Menu will offer different dishes from the Classic Menu, except for our rice salad and chili fish sauce.

Born from the South. Rooted in memory. Made with time.

Born from the South.
Rooted in memory.
Made with time.