Chai Jia Chai proudly welcomes Chef Naka Xiong and Head Sommelier Lesley Liu
Bangkok, Thailand, July 7, 2025 / TRAVELINDEX / Join Chai Jia Chai in July for two dinners as we embark on an epic food journey with Chef Naka Xiong from Odette, Singapore.
Together with Chef Tsai Shih Wei from Chai Jia Chai, we will traverse the varied cuisine styles in the Chinese spectrum, with rare ingredients inspired by the famed Manchu-Han banquet dining. Head Sommelier Lesley Liu will also fly in to curate and wow us with her wine pairing.
Alongside the culinary finesse that is synonymous with Odette, magic awaits us all.
Date: 12 & 13 July, 6.30pm
Venue: Chai Jia Chai, Sukhumvit 31
Limited seats at 16,800++ THB
Culinary Team
Host: Chef Tsai Shih Wei, Chef Owner of Chai Jia Chai
Flying in from Odette, Singapore
Naka Xiong, Chef de Cuisine
Lesley Liu, Head Sommelier
Respective Profiles
Though his parents disagreed, Shih Wei went ahead to pursue his dream in cooking. He cut, prepped, washed and cleared clogged sinks daily in his first kitchen job in Zhujiang Banquet, a restaurant in Taipei. Most importantly, he learnt as much as he yearned for, to grow as fast as he could, as the restaurant served up to 300 tables daily.
When Shih Wei found a delicious dish, he would try to be an apprentice and learn from the master chef. “Back then, there were only books and apprenticeship and from them, I learn”
His memorable first dish was the preserved radish omelette. A fire from an unplanned union of oil and water, burned the egg and some of his hair!
Shih Wei ventured internationally in 2015, taking kitchen positions in Australia, Poland and China. He ascended the kitchen hierarchy and was given a leadership position exactly two decades after his fiery radish omelette moment. Finally, the stars aligned and Chef Tsai Shih Wei opened his first restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand.
A Continuous Odyssey
Chai Jia Chai opened in 2021 on Sukhumvit Soi 31 in downtown Bangkok. The first “Chai” in the name is his name, the second means dishes and Jia means home. As the name resonates, it is like coming to Chef’s home to enjoy food/dishes.
However, from within the walls of his first restaurant (or home), a comprehensive food journey sails off as diners traverse the wide spectrum of Chinese cuisine.
Treasured and challenging ingredients like sturgeon bone and tendon, dried dragon giant grouper skin are presented in dishes and recipes that were once reserved for royalty. Not limiting himself to only one genre, Chef Tsai aims to maximise the experiences gained from his apprenticeships and to enlighten everyone on the depth and breadth of Chinese culinary repertoire.
Lesley is an accomplished sommelier with a distinguished career in fine dining across Asia. Currently Head Sommelier at the three-Michelin-starred Odette, she brings over a decade of experience from renowned establishments including Maison Lameloise Shanghai and Le Moût.
Lesley is the 2025 Tatler Best Sommelier and a two-time champion of Sopexa Singapore’s Best Sommelier in French Wines.
Holding an Advanced Certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers, she is also certified in French, Spanish, and Italian wine specializations.
Known for her calm leadership and deep wine knowledge, Lesley continues to be a respected voice in the Asian sommelier community.
A Singapore native, Sheng Xiong or Chef Naka Xiong has spent over a decade under Chef Julien’s leadership, rising the ranks to be the Chef de Cuisine at Odette. Sheng Xiong grew up close to the ocean, spending weekends helping out at his father’s local fish farm and taking regular fishing trips around neighbouring islands. This nurtured an innate love for the sea, fostering a passion for seafood and ethical practices he still carries with him today.
In 2010, he started out as a trainee at Brasserie Les Saveurs in St. Regis Hotel Singapore, where he first met Chef Julien Royer, eventually moving with him to JAAN and working his way up the ranks.
Sheng Xiong has been with the team since Odette’s inception, bringing a proficiency and direction to service and support with the on-going menu R&D. Under the tutelage of Chef Julien, he has honed a culinary approach rooted in simplicity, informed by his Asian heritage and modern French training.
Beyond Odette’s annual four hands series, he has also supported Chef Julien on numerous international culinary events and experiences, including the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival in Switzerland,
Chef Daniel Boulud’s annual Sunday Supper fundraiser for Citymeals on Wheels in New York, and most recently Le Dîner des Grands Chefs held at l’Abbaye de Collonges. He also represented Chef Julien in Odette’s first overseas residency program in Maldives in 2022.
