The Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok has introduced a new culinary chapter at its iconic riverside restaurant, Lord Jim’s, with the debut of Alex Dilling at Lord Jim’s — a fresh, more relaxed take on luxury dining led by chef Alex Dilling.
Following a residency at Le Normandie in 2024 and early 2025, during which the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star, chef Dilling returns to a permanent concept in Thailand. Rooted in the traditions of Provençal cooking and reimagined with global flair, the new dinner experience at Lord Jim’s combines open-fire grilling, French-inspired comfort food and a convivial, sharing-style approach.
"This is something more permanent and different. It's something I've always wanted to do, something a little more casual, a little more approachable; moving away from a tasting menu format. Still with the same quality of ingredients, which I think for any chef is the foundation of this cuisine; using the best ingredients we can get our hands on. Putting our tweezers down for a moment and cooking things that we love to eat.
"We've created this restaurant that can be for special occasions that people can come to share dishes around the table. We look towards France, Provence for inspiration for a lot of dishes, but the ingredients are local where we can. A lot of the vegetables come from a farm that the hotel words closely with in Petchaburi province. The rest are from France and Japan, with the menu changing quite often, maybe every month," says chef Dilling.
Chef Dilling’s menu begins with starters such as Mozzarella barbajuan, organic crudités with Caesar dip, and Japanese sea bream in cucumber gazpacho. Signature mains like Whole roasted chicken with Maitake and foie gras stuffed under the skin or Grilled dry-aged côte de bœuf served with Café de Paris butter, bone marrow and béarnaise, reflect the chefs classical French roots while embracing contemporary flavours. Side dishes such as Duck fat triple-cooked hash browns elevate the experience further.
Sustainably sourced ingredients, a caviar service and polished desserts, from Banana mille-feuille to Île Flottante make the dinner ideal for sharing. A curated by-the-glass wine list, designed to encourage exploration, complements the experience alongside a bespoke cocktail menu developed in collaboration with The Bamboo Bar.
Supporting chef Dilling is chef George Kay, who worked alongside him in London. Chef Kay led Le Normandie during chef Dilling’s Bangkok residency and will now be chef de cuisine for Alex Dilling at Lord Jim's.
