Imagine dining in front of an open kitchen with panoramic sea views, an open fire crackling to one side, while a team of chefs showcase Thailand’s most unique ingredients (‘eggfruit’ being one of them) in front of you in the form of artistically presented and plated dishes – that taste as good as they look?
This culinary theatre is the stuff of foodie dreams, and has been made reality by Chef Jimmy Ophorst at PRU, Phuket’s only Michelin-starred restaurant and Michelin Green Star restaurant. With its ‘community-to-fork’ philosophy, Ophorst’s focus has always been on spotlighting rare Thai ingredients that would even surprise the most local of locals.
We visited PRU recently and can confirm that it’s a must-visit dining destination for anyone who loves elevated fine dining – making it perfect for date night or any other special occasion. Tip: nab a seat at the bar for the best view.
Below, chef Ophorst tells us what it means for him to be Michelin-starred, his favourite meals on the island and what’s coming up next for PRU.
See also: 3 LUXE Spots for Fine Dining in Phuket
How much does it mean to you for PRU to be Michelin-starred?
It’s something very special for us and the whole team. When we were awarded for the first time with a Michelin Star back in 2018, it was something that words just cannot describe. From having never worked in a Michelin-starred restaurant myself to having one of my own is something that I could only dream of.
And while it does get a lot of attention, having a Michelin star is not what drives us. We would still like to attract guests from around the globe to experience PRU on our wonderful Island of Phuket.
Why are you so passionate about farm-to-table cooking? Was this always the case when you were starting out as a chef?
It’s not just about farm-to-table cooking – at PRU, we try to create a much wider sense of this, where we create a community-to-fork experience. This means we try to showcase the whole community throughout the experience, from the local produce to the artisanal-made plates and more.
Since we started PRU, the main focus has been on using 100% local produce in our menu. By doing this, we’ve created an experience for our guests to show them the most unknown and rare Thai ingredients. This is something we truly admire at PRU. The produce, which I had to discover myself, made PRU what it is today and that’s what keeps it unique.
What are some plants that are indigenous to Phuket/Thailand that you grow and use at PRU?
If you research indigenous vegetables and herbs in Thailand, it’s actually quite surprising how many items you can find. I’ve been doing this for nearly a decade now and still come across ingredients I’ve never seen before. Lately, we discovered a fruit that smells like blue cheese, which was super unique and in the end, it turned out that it grows in our parking lot.
What are the absolute must-try dishes at PRU, and what are your personal faves?
The King of the Fruits is the one that surprises everyone the most, mostly because it’s something that changes people’s mind about it. Apart from that, the all-time favourite is the Dry Aged Duck, which is loved by many of our guests.
How has PRU influenced the dining scene in Phuket?
I don’t want to sound arrogant, but PRU has definitely made a major impact on the dining scene in Phuket today. Together with the Michelin Guide being in Phuket, it will certainly drive other chefs and restaurants to go in a similar direction.
What are the dis/advantages of being a chef in Phuket?
We’re on an island and pretty much everything is related to tourism, so we operate under a high and low season. On the positive side, people will travel to Phuket just to dine at PRU, but it’s important to stay on top of your game to not be forgotten.
Both you and Rick Dingen (of sister restaurant Jampa) happen to be from The Netherlands. How does this play out in your cooking styles and menus, respectively?
We’re both from the Netherlands, but PRU has created its own identity what we have built for the past eight years, and the same goes for Jampa. As we are from the same group, we have the same philosophy in operating our business, but with our own identity.
What are some of your favourite restaurants and foods in Phuket?
I’m happy with a very simple noodle stall on the side of the road in Phuket. This makes me very happy, day in and day out.
What’s next for PRU?
There’s always a lot of things going on at PRU. We only just moved into our new location a year and a half ago, so we still have a long way to go to be perfect.
Learn more about PRU at Trisara Resort
