Celebrate Provenance: Rosewood Phuket

Rosewood Phuket is a high-end beachfront resort on the stunning Emerald Bay in Phuket, Thailand. In keeping with the Rosewood brand’s ‘A Sense of Place’ philosophy, the hotel is designed to give international guests more than just a generic luxury stay, instead offering a true experience of Phuket. We spoke to Luca De Negri, Area Director of Culinary and Executive Chef and Paul Olivier Linot, Assistant Director of Food & Beverage, to learn how they incorporate this sense of place into every decision they make at Rosewood Phuket, from how the hotel was designed to how they choose their suppliers and write their menus. 

Providing a true sense of place 

The design and architecture of the hotel makes deliberate use of environmentally friendly native materials, like stone and timber. With floor-to-ceiling windows opening every part of the Villas up to the lush hillside forest surroundings, guests are immersed in the locality at every point throughout their stay. This sense of place is particularly prevalent in the hotel’s four food and beverage venues. A great example is the resort’s signature Thai restaurant, Ta Khai, which was built using repurposed materials from an old fishing village.  

Supporting local producers is a big part of this connection. “We have built not just relationships, but true partnerships with our local farmers, vendors and markets,” says Luca. Rosewood Hotels & Resort’s ‘Partners in Provenance’ commitment was established out of respect for local farmers, indigenous agriculture and dedicated producers, with the goal of delivering the highest quality ingredients. Rosewood chefs personally visit and handpick these partners, including local farmers and producers championing indigenous agricultural practices. “Currently, we work with 21 different ‘Partners in Provenance’ across Thailand, whose products are showcased and celebrated across all of the Resort’s restaurants,” he says. “We believe while this enriches the team, it also enriches our guests by including them in our journey.”  

This focus on seasonal and sustainable ingredients naturally guides and curates their menus. “As Rosewood Phuket invites international guests to experience the beauty and culture of the island, we highlight our connection with local communities through responsible gastronomy,” Luca explains. At Ta Khai — which means ‘fishing net’ in Thai — guests can experience authentic Southern Thai cuisine, crafted by local chef couple Khun Nun and Khun Yai, known affectionately across the island as Uncle Nun and Auntie Yai. “Along with the rest of the team, they honour local traditions, bringing authentic Southern Thai cuisine to our guests,” says Paul.  

Menus are inspired by what’s in season and available each day, such as the daily catch from local fishermen and sustainably sourced ingredients harvested at their prime, including those from Ta Khai’s own organic herb and vegetable garden. Producers are proudly listed on the menu, with an illustrated map showing where their farms and operations are located. Not only are the ingredients 100% locally sourced, but the team at Ta Khai is also comprised completely of Thai associates, providing employment for local people while adding to the authenticity of the guest experience. 

Guests can also avail of an exclusive off-site opportunity to dine at Little Bukit Farm, Paul shares. “Owned and operated by a Thai architect and his French wife, this is an organic farm that brings an exquisite and educational farm-to-table concept to our guests.” Rosewood guests who choose this experience are served a seven-course ‘Partners in Provenance’ tasting menu is a beautiful natural setting.  

The Rosewood team also does an exceptional job of communicating provenance to their guests, helping diners to form stronger connections with their food and the locality. “We proudly highlight this concept across our menu, website and social media channels,” Paul says. “Our team is well-versed and enthusiastic about sharing our philosophy, stories and partnerships with guests, especially when introducing it to first-time visitors.” 

Provenance includes community support 

“Supporting our local communities is important to us because they are the embodiment of the destination,” says Paul. “They are the reason that our heritage continues to be sustained and are part of what makes the island of Phuket — and Thailand — so distinct. At Rosewood Phuket, we’re able to amplify their genuine hospitality and pride in our culture.” 

In addition to sourcing directly from local farmers and producers, the resort also works with a range of additional partners to further strengthen their ties to the local community.  

Luca notes that there can be some challenges attached to making provenance such a high priority. For one thing, it requires an active approach to building awareness and ownership across the team; for another, sourcing locally is not always the most cost-effective approach. To tackle this, he recommends negotiating pricing by focusing on common goals, and emphasises the importance of building trust and long-term relationships. He also says that stronger government support would help to amplify this kind of work across the industry. “A focused commitment to driving change is key to creating lasting impact.” 

Food Made Good at Rosewood Phuket 

Rosewood Phuket took the Food Made Good Standard for the first time in 2024. “We were interested in assessing our current practices in sustainability to evaluate a benchmark to see how we could improve,” says Paul. “We were pleasantly surprised that our first application was a great success. This certification validates that we are headed in the right direction with the team. Going through the Food Made Good Standard helped us to gain a better understanding of where we stand, highlighting our weaknesses and identifying opportunities for improvement.” 

Looking ahead, the team at Rosewood Phuket will be continuing to celebrate provenance by supporting its local community, using considered sourcing practices to inspire both guests and associates. “Moving forward, our goal is to continue innovating and lead the way for sustainable practices in Thailand,” says Paul as we wrap up.

We look forward to seeing what they’ve implemented when their next Food Made Good assessment rolls around. 

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