Asia is one food-crazy continent! We take great care to pick restaurants based on culinary vibes, rankings on international gourmand guides, mentions in magazines, Instagrammability, and added hunger. Yes, Chef! features the region’s chefs’ stories of love and labour in kitchens that have made some of our restaurants the next big thing in Asia.

Some culinary journeys impress you, while others remain in your memory long after the experience. That’s Sühring for you.

For nearly a decade now, twin chefs Thomas and Mathias Sühring have been transforming German cuisine by infusing it with an international flair at their restaurant. This year, they etched their names in history by becoming Thailand's second establishment to receive Three MICHELIN Stars in Bangkok — a moment that truly fulfills a longstanding dream. Sühring is recognized for its unwavering consistency, sophistication, and profound artistry. This remarkable milestone not only celebrates the brothers’ culinary prowess but also signifies an important milestone in enhancing Thailand’s gastronomic landscape.

Nestled within the lush embrace of Yen Akat, Sühring graces a lovingly restored mid-century villa that radiates warmth and sophistication, effortlessly merging elegance with a homely charm. Inspired by the idyllic summers spent on their grandparents' farm in Germany, the Sühring brothers have woven their nostalgic memories into the very fabric of this restaurant, placing their grandmother’s cherished recipe book upon the table. They skillfully blend traditional techniques, such as fermentation, with a contemporary fine dining approach, creating a culinary tapestry that is both rich and innovative.

The quiet sophistication of Sühring is highlighted by natural wood, glass walls, soft lighting, and serene music, creating a soothing dining atmosphere. With avant-garde presentations, a focus on seasonal ingredients, and unique flavors, Sühring offers a one-of-a-kind experience, all complemented by impeccable service.

Since its opening in 2016, Sühring in Bangkok has established itself as a culinary beacon, first earning its inaugural Michelin star in the 2018 edition of The MICHELIN Guide Thailand. The following year, it was elevated to two Michelin stars, and most recently, after years of dedication and refinement, it has achieved the prestigious distinction of three Michelin stars in The MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026. The journey undertaken by the Sühring brothers has been remarkably eventful, as they have cultivated a distinctive presence in a foreign landscape.

In addition to these accolades, including The Best Chef 2025 and a ranking of No. 22 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, Sühring has also garnered recognition for having the Best Austrian Wine List at the Star Wine List of the Year Asia 2025. It has become a beloved destination for both local diners and international visitors. Their artful combination of traditional German cuisine with a contemporary twist keeps palates engaged, while their curated selection of German and Austrian wines further enhances the dining experience.

In an enlightening discussion with The Beat Asia, the Sühring brothers, Chefs Thomas and Mathias, conveyed their heartfelt gratitude for this milestone, reflected on the challenges of carving out a successful path as restaurateurs in a foreign land, and shared their visionary aspirations for the upcoming renovations at Sühring.

Congratulations on receiving three MICHELIN Stars at the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026 Ceremony! How has this recognition influenced your operational dynamics and strategic vision for the future of Sühring?

Mathias: It was like a very big day because we really didn't know that it was going to happen. So, yeah, [we're] super happy. Then, right after, the festive season came. We were actually opening almost every day, and so we didn’t really have time to reflect. Now, we’ve finally settled down a bit, [but] it's still unbelievable. I mean, [after] 10 years, it's a dream come true. Working so long in the industry, it's like you’ve reached the top kind of thing.

As for the restaurant now, I think it's getting a bit more international. We have more guests really traveling to eat, many more guests now coming from the U.S., Europe, Switzerland, Germany, and Australia — on top of Thai and Asian guests that make [up] 70% of our clientele. Slowly, it's shifting a bit towards more tourists and gourmet travelers coming in to visit the restaurant, so it's been very busy since we received the three MICHELIN stars.

Thomas: We were busy before as well, but now it's continuously busy during lunch and dinner hours, and adapting has been quite challenging for the whole team. But of course, we're happy we've been receiving so many guests and are doing what we've done best for 10 years now.

For future plans, we're planning to close the restaurant for two months in August and September. And we would like to update the dining room in front, [as well as] the reception, the winter garden, and the kitchen. We've been planning to invest more in wines. We will also build a wine cellar in the garden.

Now with three [MICHELIN] stars, you can really see that the client has changed. They're looking more into wine and beverage programs. It's actually quite nice to see that we don’t just promote Germany for its food in Asia or in the community here, but also things like wines and tableware. It makes us a little bit proud.

Could you share how you started your culinary journey in Thailand and how the concept of Sühring came about?

Thomas: We arrived in Thailand in 2008 when we got the opportunity to work for Lebua State Tower at Mezzaluna. They hired us, and it was our first step outside Europe and the first step to be in charge of a restaurant. We really enjoyed working there for seven years — exploring ourselves, exploring the community, and finding our way of cooking.

But then, after seven years, we felt like it had always been a dream to open our own restaurant. We thought, 'Why not try to open a restaurant in Thailand?' We found a beautiful place, and we liked the area here. It's a quiet, residential area with a lot of nature. We moved in, put all our money inside, and started constructing. While coming up with the concept, we felt like calling it our name. So it's personal, and also the cuisine is meant to be emotional and personal to us. That’s why we chose to showcase our heritage in Asia. A little bit more updated version, a little bit more sophisticated version — it comes over time.

When we opened 10 years ago, we started as a casual restaurant. Then, year by year, we got more creative, got better products, [and grew] with the team and with the community we had here, it was quite nice. So after 10 years, it's so amazing to reach our dream. We worked before in many restaurants with three MICHELIN stars. We could never imagine that we could get the honor of receiving three MICHELIN Stars one day in our own restaurant with our own name on the door.

Even after three months, we're still so busy with the restaurant, we still cannot believe it. It just feels unreal. Because we love what we're doing, we love to be in the restaurant every day, and we love to give the best possible experience to our customers. It drives us every day for like 12 to 14 hours…it's crazy.

Since opening in 2016, Sühring has been at the forefront of transforming traditional German home cooking. What are some of the ups and downs you’ve experienced on this decade-long journey?

Mathias: First of all, I think opening a restaurant in a foreign country is something very challenging. Of course, we were aware, but we weren't aware that it was going to be very hard. One of the most challenging times was when we had to finally open a restaurant. We had a new team, and you need to find a way with your team and everything — it takes time.

It's not easy to have a restaurant; it's not like you can do it in one day. You should also give it time to grow, and you have to do one step after the next step. It's basically like climbing a mountain. When we started the restaurant, it was more of a casual approach, but of course, [still led by our] background and experience from working at Mezzaluna. Over time, we got there, step by step, with the concept. Overall, it's been an amazing experience. Of course, the hours you're putting in, it's like giving time to both family, and it's sometimes not easy. Basically, we have two families, right? We have our family, our physical family, but also all our 50 to 60 staff members, who are also our family. So, yeah, it's very time-consuming, a lot of effort, but that's the passion we have and what we love to do.

Thomas: For the concept, we felt that it's unique. No one did [German cuisine] in that area of the world. Also in Germany, no one who has MICHELIN stars is doing German cuisine. It actually does not exist, I would say. So, to open a restaurant 10 years ago with that unique approach was also kind of challenging because we didn't know if it would work or not. We feel like showcasing our heritage when we started cooking German food and remembering the time we spent at home or our grandmother's home, where we used to stand at the stove and cook all the time.

It feels connected to us and emotional, and that's actually why we think the concept works, because you can give that emotional connection to the customers rather than just cooking. Let's say we cook Japanese, Italian, or Mexican food. Yes, we can do it, but there's no connection or belief. I remember when we started cooking the first menu before we opened, we felt really happy — to make our own bread, our own butter, to cook something we had eaten maybe 20 years ago and then never got to cook again. We felt it was the right approach. After 10 years, we are still open and now have three stars, meaning we did something right.

With an array of accolades, including Three MICHELIN Stars, The Best Chef 2025 Awards, and a ranking of No. 22 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list, how do you sustain creative momentum? How do you balance innovation with the need for consistency and maintain motivation amidst the pressures of high expectations?

Thomas: I think the key point is consistency. It’s day in, day out — doing the same thing over and over again — and then the next day you try again, maybe improving a little bit. And that improvement is creativity again.

These are the foundations for creativity, and also for success. If you keep on these two things — day in, day out — and you celebrate the little progress, it brings you towards success.

Of course, it’s not easy. The restaurant business in itself is like, wow — it goes both ways. We also had a few things that didn’t work, because it’s not easy and it’s time-consuming. You have to have discipline, you have to be consistent every day, and you have to be a good leader for your staff — otherwise you’re just turning in circles.

Mathias: I think also there is the pressure of being in the World 50 Best Restaurants or having Three Michelin Stars and other accolades — of course, they're all beautiful, and we love to have them. But, I think the key to success here is the need to be creative constantly and the need to build a system within your restaurant or your business that works for you.

It means you need to have standard operating procedures and need to have time to talk to your team. You need to collaborate with your team so that you can be creative, and they can help you to be creative — whether it's in the kitchen, front of house, reservations, back of house, etc. You really need the constant community and discussion with your team to be creative in a busy restaurant. You have to find the time and have the system in place where people know exactly what to do, when to meet, and what to discuss.

Thomas: Of course, we have dreamt about these big awards all the time. But it was not at the forefront of our minds when we opened our restaurant. You have to put it at the back of your head. It's something nice, of course, but you just work — day in, day out — towards your business, your happiness, and being yourself. You have to be happy with it, you know? If you're going to work and you're not happy, then it makes no sense. So, I think it's very important also that your work is kind of your hobby.

To open a restaurant, the main point is that you love what you're doing — that's what my mother says. But also, the point is you want to feed people and give them an experience that they'll want to come back. If they leave with a smile on their face or they're enjoying themselves, or even recommending your restaurant to their friends — that's why we opened our restaurant. And the rest, such as whether the staff is happy working with you, comes over time.

What is the creative process like when designing a new dish for Sühring’s menu? Can you describe the preparations involved and any special techniques you use to curate each dish? Are there specific challenges you face in sourcing ingredients?

Mathias: I think sourcing ingredients is always challenging because we're going alongside the season. Firstly, you need to understand the season: when produce is available and the start and end of the season. That really gives you the way for your menu, and then you have to start being creative with the ingredients.

Also, we have to be creative with the ingredients as well to balance them out. Aside from both of us, of course, we've got very good team members who've been working with us for a long time now. They understand how we think, how certain things are done, etc. We call them a team for a reason because they're also creative. You cannot just snap your finger and say, 'Okay, today, we want to create this dish.' Sometimes, it's an experience you're having when you read a book or travel abroad, and you find something very interesting. It's something that made you think, there's a spark that you may have missed before. Maybe out of a small idea, it becomes bigger.

Also, for us, when we create a dish, it's not like the dish goes straight into the menu and is ready to be served to the guests immediately. It takes a couple of weeks until the dish is final and gets feedback. There's also the service part, how the dish is handled, and then it might get adjusted a little bit until we're thinking it's finally a dish that could be considered a signature. Some dishes have that potential, while other dishes are the result of the season.

How do you choose your signature dish?

Mathias: For us, a signature dish is definitely something unique that people will like, something you can only get in a restaurant. One dish we're having, we call it Enleta — the hazelnut waffle we had when we were growing up in the Eastern part of Berlin.

When the war broke out, the first thing we had when we were 12 years old, when we visited West Berlin at that time, was this waffle. [It's] a sweet little thing that we attach our emotion and memory to. We were thinking about the unification of Germany, how that was the first snack when we could finally get to the other part of the city, discovering how it is [in West Berlin], simply by having that waffle.

So it was very emotional, and we thought we could do something out of it. So we made this sweet confectionery into a savory dish. We paired it with vinegar, which is also quite unique. And that stands for us, basically. It's not just a unique dish, but it's personal to us. It's interesting, something to discover, very playful. So yeah, a real signature [dish] is just a lot of things coming together.

Could you provide insight into how you decide on the factors affecting overall dining experience beyond the F&B, such as the interior design, ambiance, and vibe?

Mathias: When we opened the restaurant, the core concept was and is still to invite your guests into your home. So in terms of interior, setup, and service, it should always be approached properly. Not a stiff approach, [rather] an approach where [it's as if] you invited someone to your home — warm, nice, and you can just have a good time.

That's the idea for everything we're doing here. Everything that you see here is built over 10 years: layout plans, food, service, wines, plates, music, uniform, interior design, etc. Actually, everything you see is chosen by us. Of course, it's [all] certified, but we want people to have a good time in our home.

I think that's why we were also very grateful when we were in a hotel, and we got the opportunity to work there for so long. All these things that we're thinking about, it's moving towards a complete experience which combines food with the ambiance, service, drinks, everything. So there's that one line that showcases your experience, who you are and what you're doing. That's the main thing that connects [everything] from front to back of house. You not only want to give your guests food, but an experience. If it resonates with them emotionally, people remember maybe one or two things four months after their visit. But if they remember something, that's already a good sign. If you go to a restaurant and six months later, you don't remember anything, [then] it's not that unique. So that's the approach for us — an experience rather than just good food or wine.

Thomas: As chefs, we grew up in the kitchen. But having a restaurant now, we truly understand all the various parts of the experience. From the guest perspective, food is important, but service is equally important.

For us, it's like 50/50. Maybe as chefs we can be a bit arrogant sometimes, so we really have to appreciate what the service team is doing. Most guests come for the first time for the food because they heard about it, but they will definitely come back for the service.

Food has to be good, of course. People will remember the food, but they will also remember the atmosphere, vibe, and how the service [team] took care of them. It should feel very natural. Service from the house is very important, the same as the kitchen.

Is there a specific dish and wine pairing that encapsulates the essence of the Sühring experience?

Thomas: On our menu, you can choose either the 8-course or the 5-course, and then we also have classics on the side that I recommend adding because some classics are here forever. They're kind of signature dishes.

First is the Spätzle, soft egg noodles. We're serving it most likely with truffles when they're in season, and it's a must-try. It's comfort food. It's not that sophisticated in terms of plating and stuff like that, but it's very yummy. And it represents the simplicity of German food — what can be done with easy ingredients combined together.

Secondly, we're also offering Lapskaus, which is corned beef from Northern Germany, and we're serving it with different kinds of caviar. Those are the things I would recommend. Otherwise, we change the menu four times a year; we go with the season.

For the wines, we have beautiful wine pairings. Like we mentioned, we've been importing German wines for 10 years. We work together to choose the wines carefully so they fit the menu. I would really recommend trying the pairings — they’re very unique, I would say, for this area, Bangkok or Asia.

What do you find to be the most rewarding and the most challenging aspects of your job?

Thomas: If you come to work and love what you do, it's rewarding enough. It's rewarding enough that people are coming to the restaurant and appreciate what you're doing; you don't need more. If you look back over the last 10 years, running a restaurant was always our dream. But the most challenging thing is actually running a restaurant. Handling staff, handling problems. Fixing things, hiring new people, or fixing human problems — it's all challenging with 60 staff.

Mathias: I think the most rewarding is being happy. But the most challenging is also balancing time for your own family and kids. You have to have a strong partner to support you through both things. That's why every morning we make sure to drive our kids to school, at least we're having that morning to just catch up, and enjoy the moment with the kids as well as bringing them to school and chit-chat. We have two days off, and this is the most time we spend with the family, but the other five days it's more like work and family. That's why we're also closed every Mondays and Tuesdays, because of the work-life balance and family. This is not only for us, but also the team so everybody can take proper rest.

Looking ahead, what future developments or innovations do you envision for Sühring?

Thomas: We would like to work on our wine programs more and possibly give a related experience to the guests. If they're interested, show them the wines and do some tasting in the wine cellar. I think it will be quite unique, something to enhance the experience. But we learn so much every day and we just like to improve ourselves, of course, which also improves the overall experience for the guests and for the team. It's a constant, everyday development.

Mathias: When we opened the restaurant, it's our money that went into everything. After 10 years, we feel it's a good time to upgrade what you can do better, to improve guest satisfaction. But it's not like everything was always beautifully set up on the first day and then nothing has changed since. It's always been gradually changing.

Now, we want to have a wine program. Presenting beautiful, aged German wines to enhance the experience. We're not that far ahead. We're still in our little bubble and love what we're doing; we just want to make it better every day.

For more information about Sühring, follow them on Instagram. For more information and reservations, you can also visit their website.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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