Luke Farrell and JKS Restaurants announce YAI

Luke Farrell's Chaiyo Restaurants has announced its latest partnership with JKS Restaurants, with the two businesses set to open YAI in early 2027.

YAI will be a fine-dining restaurant, centred specifically on the food and culture of Phuket. It's the sixth restaurant partnership between the two operators, joining restaurants such as Plaza Khao Gaeng and Speedboat Bar.

The menu at YAI will feature Phuket dishes, with southern Thai ingredients playing a central role. The menu includes Songkhla shrimp paste, Betong soy sauce, Pattani sea salt, Phatthalung palm sugar and Sangyod rice.

"Our ambition is to transplant the cuisine of Phuket into London at a level not previously attempted, rather than define itself against London’s existing Thai landscape," says Farrell. "We’re excited to bring this new dimension of southern Thai culture and cuisine to the city."

Guests will be encouraged to share dishes. The result will offer fine-dining quality without the formality traditionally associated with it. 

Farrell first partnered with JKS Restaurants in 2021 to launch southern Thai restaurant Plaza Khao Gaeng, a stand-alone concept located on the mezzanine of Arcade Food Hall on Tottenham Court Road, which has since been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand.

In 2022, Chaiyo opened Speedboat Bar on Chinatown’s Rupert Street, an homage to the late-night canteens of Bangkok.

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