20 Questions with Bangkok Supper Club’s Max Wittawat
Published:
In the Resy Questionnaire, we play a game of 20 questions with the industry folks behind some of our favorite restaurants. What’s your most memorable restaurant experience? Your favorite cookbook? What restaurant would you want to time-travel for?
In this edition, we spoke to Max Wittawat, the acclaimed chef and partner behind Bangkok Supper Club, the innovative Thai restaurant from the same team as neighborhood favorite Fish Cheeks.
1. Favorite thing you’ve ever cooked?
Charcoal-grilled branzino (pla phao) simply salt-cured overnight, then grilled over charcoal. [It gets this] crispy, charred skin with moist, tender meat, served with nam jim seafood sauce and a bowl of rice. It reminds me of the seafood stalls on the streets of Thailand.
2. Kitchen tool or equipment you couldn’t live without?
A mortar and pestle. It is essential for me, especially for [research and development, or R&D]. Hand-grinding keeps the texture and soul of the ingredients, and curry paste made this way is on another level compared to a blender.
3. What pantry items would you bring on a desert island?
Fish sauce, palm sugar, dried Thai chilies, coconut milk, and jasmine rice. Those are the pillars of Thai flavor for me. With that combination of salty, sweet, spicy, and rich, I could build endless dishes, even with whatever I could forage on the island.
4. What’s your favorite place to get a slice in New York?
L’Industrie. It’s my favorite spot for a slice in New York, and I was so excited that they opened their West Village location shortly after we opened Bangkok Supper Club. It’s simple, delicious, and dangerously easy to eat more than one.
5. Favorite cookbook?
The original “Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook.” The photography is beautiful, and I love how the recipes are broken down into components. It’s like a blueprint for creativity. You can borrow the ideas and turn them into something totally your own.
6. Your drink of choice?
Matcha, every single day. I’m obsessed. I’ve collected so many little cans, tools, and utensils over time, and making it has become a daily ritual for me.
7. Favorite food movie?
“Ratatouille.” That movie really inspired me and is a big reason I started exploring French cuisine. I still vividly remember the scene overlooking Paris. It stuck with me and shaped how I thought about food and cooking.
8. Your ideal dinner party guests, dead or alive?
Daniel Humm [chef and owner of Eleven Madison Park]. I would love the opportunity to cook for him again. He’s been such an inspiration to me, and hosting him for a dinner would feel incredibly full circle.
9. What restaurant industry person do you admire the most?
Danny Meyer. His philosophy of hospitality has influenced me deeply. I’ve read his books and listened to him on various podcasts, and I’ve learned so much from the way he thinks about restaurants, people, and leadership.
10. The greatest restaurant experience of your life so far?
Den in Tokyo. I went alone, and it was an emotional experience. There was one dish, baked rice topped with thinly sliced raw beef, that still gives me goosebumps. The contrast of hot rice and cold air, with the beef gently cooking as it was served, was unforgettable. I actually teared up. It is a moment I will never forget.
11. Your greatest professional achievement?
Opening Bangkok Supper Club and running my own restaurant in New York City is by far my proudest achievement. It has been a dream come true to bring my take on Thai food to the city, share it with guests, and build a team that feels like family. Every time someone raves about their meal, I feel like all the late nights in the kitchen were completely worth it. Creating a space where people can enjoy food, laugh, and feel at home is the real highlight for me.
12. What single dish best describes your personality?
Pork jowl. It is humble but full of personality. You won’t find it in many restaurants, even in Thailand. It has a kick, big flavor, a nice balance of spice and acidity from lime, and still feels approachable. It is definitely a staple dish in Thailand, where every household has crispy pork cracklings in a jar that get mixed with leftover rice or protein. That mix of comfort, versatility, and bold flavor really reflects who I am.
13. If you could go back in time, which restaurant would you dine at?
If I could go back in time, I would dine at Restaurant André in Singapore. It was my very first fine dining experience back in 2011, and it completely changed the way I thought about food and hospitality. I still remember the foie gras egg custard and the beautiful house it was set in. Truly an unforgettable meal, but it sadly closed in 2018.
14. Your favorite meal from childhood?
My favorite childhood meal is my dad’s garlic pork stir fry. He cooked it very dry and deeply browned with a simple sauce of fish sauce, lime juice, and chile. It is incredibly nostalgic. He made it almost every week before he drove me to school as breakfast, and I would eat it in the car. I never got tired of it.
15. What is your wish for the restaurant industry?
My wish for the restaurant industry is empathy on both sides. Restaurants work hard to serve the best quality food at a reasonable price, and it helps when guests understand what goes into making that happen. At the same time, guests being patient, like understanding that waiting an extra 15 minutes means the kitchen is busy, goes a long way. A little understanding and appreciation from both sides make the experience better for everyone.
16. What do you wish you did better? What do you do well?
I’m always trying to be a better team leader, whether that’s communicating more clearly, delegating more thoughtfully, or making sure others feel empowered to step up and lead. It’s something I think about a lot. What I do well is care deeply. I’m genuinely invested in my team and the people I work with, and there’s nothing more rewarding to me than seeing them grow in confidence and succeed.
17. If you could eat through a city for a day, where would you go?
Lisbon. The seafood scene is incredible, and I love how rice dishes are such a big part of the cuisine. It is also surprisingly affordable for the amazing quality that you get.
18. The one thing you can’t resist splurging on when you go out?
Uni, especially at Japanese restaurants. If it is high-quality, I cannot say no. There is something about that creamy texture and ocean flavor that just gets me every time.
19. What do you value most in restaurants?
As a restaurant owner, I value teamwork above everything. A kitchen only runs well when everyone is connected and working together. From a diner’s perspective, what I appreciate most is food quality and creativity. A restaurant that delivers both is unforgettable.
20. It’s your last meal on earth, what are you eating?
I cannot choose between my dad’s garlic pork and congee with meatballs. I had congee for breakfast all the time growing up in Thailand. It is the ultimate comfort food and is packed with memories.
