Chef Gerard Villaret Horcajo's love for his craft knows no bounds. His love for cooking goes beyond his job; it is a deep passion that has no price.

“I don't see it as a profession, but as a passion. My job became my passion 10 years ago. It's something that I will do for free,” says the Spanish chef who currently helms Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu, a one-Michelin-starred restaurant housed in the prestigious The Okura Prestige Bangkok.

In many respects, Chef Gerard’s path had always been intertwined with the world of cooking. A native of Barcelona, Spain, Chef Gerard had been surrounded by the country’s rich gastronomy culture and the countless culinary innovations that Spanish cuisine had brought to the global culinary scene. 

“Being born in Spain shaped me in many ways as a young chef because of the culinary culture and the gastronomy of the country itself – it’s part of our daily basis. There's a lot happening around food, which is very similar to Asian countries,” explains the 34-year-old Chef de Cuisine.

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A chef’s path to the Michelin stars: Becoming a fearless leader in the kitchen

Before taking the reins of Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu in Bangkok as Chef de Cuisine, Chef Gerard had been trained in top kitchens in Europe. He worked in Michelin-starred restaurants like Vendôme in Bensberg, Germany, De Librije at Zwolle in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and other prestigious restaurants like Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London and many others. After a stint at Ciel Bleu in the Hotel Okura Amsterdam under Arjan Speelman, Chef Gerard embarked on a new chapter in Asia, taking the helm at Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu Bangkok in 2021.

"When it comes to Michelin-starred restaurants, what I learned was to run a big team and perform on a high level.”  However, he also witnessed things that didn’t resonate with his culinary philosophy. "I learned things that I didn't like that I believe were not [crucial] to the success of restaurants."

For the chef, the social and human side of the culinary industry is equally important to the cuisine.

"In [some of] those restaurants back in the day, everything was about food, and nobody took care of the human [aspect]. At the end of the day, these are keys to having a successful business –the people around you and the people that work with you are very important," he explains.

This is precisely why he makes sure to balance his role as a leader at Elements while fostering a strong relationship with his team.

“I work a lot with my team, from outings to going for dinner to giving small presents, and small birthday cakes for each one to maintain team building, [But [when] something is not good, we fix it," he says. “They know they can talk to me. We are all one team, and we do this together because I cannot do it without them."

All the elements: His signature dishes

Thailand is a food destination and is teeming with award-winning restaurants. In the 2023 Michelin Guide Thailand, more than 35 restaurants were awarded Michelin stars. Meanwhile, Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu, has held its star for six consecutive years. 

Chef Gerard explains why the restaurant has been able to maintain its Michelin star standing, despite having taken command of the restaurant only two years ago: “With every menu, we go one step higher on quality and on service," he stresses. "We are more confident because guests recognize what we do.”

Part of what makes Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu so appealing is its unwavering dedication to its fundamental identity: a French restaurant with Japanese influences. The Spanish chef is in constant pursuit of creativity and innovation, churning out new dishes while keeping those that are best sellers.

“[At Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu], we have signature dishes [on our] menu. Whenever the guests come back, and they like that dish, they can have it again, but 80% of the time, our menu changes," he stresses.

He explains his process of creating new dishes:

”I like to experiment. I like to develop. This requires time. If I want to work with a product that I never used before I am going to need time to understand the product to try it out. And once a menu is finished, it always takes like two to three weeks till we become 100% happy. We'll fine-tune it. We keep trying and keep tasting together with a sommelier. 'Okay, now we're ready'. Then we think about the next [dish]."

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Seasonality in dishes and the path to sustainability

Seasonality plays a big role in Chef Gerard's menu. For him, this is how the restaurant stays true to its commitment to sustainability.

"We are focused 100% on seasonality. For example, it doesn't make sense for me to have venison all year when the season of venison is three months per year."

Chef Gerard says that at Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu, they try to create a different way of looking at signature dishes. From sourcing ingredients from different parts of the world or working with local suppliers in Thailand, there’s a lot of work that the Spanish chef and his team do behind the scenes to make sure that the dishes in Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu are top-quality and seasonal.

“We always have wagyu on our menu, but we change it every three months. So now we have Akita wagyu from the Akita region – an A5 strip loin – and now we're going to change it for Kagoshima. We will always have a premium strip-loin wagyu but we're going to change the cut, or we change the cow.”

One of Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu’s signature dishes is the Barbary duck, sourced from a local supplier in Thailand, and cooked elaborately.

“We have these beautiful Barbary ducks, which are French ducks grown in Thailand. We decided to work with this farmer, and since then it has more than one of our signature dishes. More than the duck, the way we cook it in the salt in a salt crust in a dome of salt, but we will change the garnish per season so before we had some beetroots now we have some kumquats with confit canard.” 

A knowledgeable clientele

At Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu, the pursuit of culinary excellence is not just about crafting signature dishes; it's about continually delighting and surprising guests. Chef Gerard, the creative force behind Elements, has a passion for pushing culinary boundaries.

As he puts it, "We maintain the signature dishes. But we like it when the guests recognize flavors but still get surprised every time they come."

One of the unique features that help elevate the guest experience is the open-kitchen concept.

"I like the restaurant dynamic that we have in Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu, where there is no bridge between service and the kitchen," Chef Gerard explains. "It's part of our daily performance, not only in terms of cooking but also in the interaction with the guests, which I believe is essential for our business's success."

Chef Gerard also considers his client's expectations when it comes to crafting dishes.

"Thai people are very knowledgeable about Asian ingredients, especially Japanese," he notes as to why they also began sourcing ingredients from Japan. "They appreciate quality, and they don't mind paying for it. Combined with the foundation of French cuisine and these premium ingredients, we've gained confidence in what we offer at Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu."

His life purpose

With a strong team behind him, for Chef Gerard, Elements, inspired by Ciel Bleu, has become more than just a workplace; it's where he finds his true purpose in life.

"It's a place where I am happiest," he shares. "I feel so comfortable being in the kitchen and doing what I do every day. I've found my purpose in life. Everything else I do is extra. I love to do what I do."

And he also appreciates that he comes to work with a team that feels the same.

"Everybody comes with a new mindset and new energy," he enthuses. "This means you can ask a little bit more every time from your team because they respond very well – a fresh team that wants to achieve the next goal. It doesn't have to be the ultimate goal, but to have the mindset to try to be a little bit better than yesterday, every day – I think that's a key to maintaining a Michelin star."

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