Early in 2026, Bangkok will transform as Southeast Asia's largest design festival, Bangkok Design Week 2026, returns with the theme DESIGN S/O/S signaling a lifeline and new opportunities for Thai cuisine. This event will bring borderless deliciousness to the heart of the festival, with the O in the theme standing for Outreach Opportunities—connecting the world and creating chances.
This event showcases the creative power of third-year students from the School of Hospitality, majoring in Culinary Technology and Service at Suan Dusit University, who boldly break traditional culinary rules by twisting Thai ingredients with Western techniques or modernizing their presentation, aiming to create "opportunities" for Thai food to reach the global stage at Bangkok Design Week 2026.
These 8 stalls clearly demonstrate how design can transform "old traditional chili paste" into "international-level dishes."
1. Ratatouille BKK
Signature dish: Hand Roll with seaweed and Nam Prik Ong sauce.
A fusion of three cultures in one name! The students reinterpret "Nam Prik Ong," a beloved Northern Thai chili paste, into a "Ratatouille"—a French vegetable stew—by simmering tomatoes and various vegetables until rich, then presenting it as a Japanese-style "Hand Roll" wrapped in seaweed, making it easy to eat on the go. The sweet and tangy flavor of Nam Prik Ong pairs perfectly with seaweed, creating an exceptionally creative fusion dish.
2. Pasta Craft "Hed"
Signature dishes: Mushroom pasta with chicken Khao Soi sauce, honey lemon jelly honey topping.
Fresh Italian pasta meets Thai chicken Khao Soi curry in this magical dish. The rich Khao Soi sauce coats every strand of pasta, elevated by the aroma of lemon oil and topped with honey jelly that balances the spicy heat. This dish flawlessly blends the creamy richness of Western cuisine with the bold flavors of Thai curry.
3. PLA THU BURGER
Signature dish: Maeklong mackerel burger with holy basil tartar sauce.
The mackerel burger features homemade bread and finely filleted mackerel coated in batter and fried like fish and chips, transforming the old image of "mackerel with broken neck" in a basket into a stylish burger! The mackerel meat is shaped into patties, grilled until fragrant, and topped with a newly created holy basil tartar sauce made from Thai herbs to reduce fishiness and add freshness. Served with homemade bread, this reinvents Thai mackerel into a nutritious and modern fish burger.
4. Shio Ramen
Signature dish: Shio ramen with Chaiya vegetable noodles.
This Japanese ramen hides Thai identity in its noodles. The students use "Chaiya vegetable" (Mexican kale), a local Thai vegetable rich in protein and calcium, kneaded into the dough to create green, soft, and chewy noodles. Served in a clear, light salt broth (Shio). The broth is made by gently simmering chicken bones for a long time, complemented by fragrant burnt chashu pork and crispy fried Chaiya vegetables as toppings. This dish harmoniously blends the simple Zen way with traditional Thai ingredients.
5. Kalorjee & Makmao
Signature dishes: Kalorjee stuffed with braised pork, Makmao soda.
A brilliant idea uses "Kalorjee," a chewy traditional Chinese offering pastry, as a tortilla substitute to create a wrap filled with "Moo Hong," a Southern Thai sweet and salty braised pork. The crispy outside and soft inside of Kalorjee perfectly complement the rich flavor of Moo Hong. This is balanced by a refreshing "Makmao soda," made from a wild Isan fruit, providing a tangy and fizzy finish. This set combines delicious flavors from multiple cultures.
6. Help Chicken
Signature dish: Wrap "Chick Chick."
Designed for the fast-paced urban lifestyle, this easy-to-eat yet intensely flavorful dish features black pepper grilled chicken wrapped in oat and holy basil mixed wrap bread. Served with three styles of Thai herbal sauces: satay, panang, and larb sauces. It transforms classic rice and curry dishes into portable fast food packed with flavor.
7. PANIPURI 4 WAYS
Signature dish: Panipuri with 4 Thai flavors.
The popular Indian street food "Panipuri" is infused with Thai spirit. The students replace the Indian spiced sauces with four Thai-flavored fillings: original, tea leaf salad, Miang Kham, and red chicken. The fun lies in popping the round shell into your mouth and waiting for the explosion of flavors, offering an enjoyable and varied eating experience.
8. Long Yuan
Signature dishes: Xiao Long Bao stuffed with Northern Thai pork stew with eggplant, and Xiao Long Bao stuffed with Nam Prik Ong.
When restaurant-level Chinese dim sum like "Xiao Long Bao" is filled with traditional Thai dishes! Thin dough is pleated beautifully, enclosing broth and flavorful fillings such as "Northern Thai pork stew with eggplant" scented with coriander root, and rich "Nam Prik Ong." Upon biting, the Thai curry broth bursts out, surprising the palate. This fusion food boldly reimagines traditional flavors and tastes delicious.
Bangkok Design Week 2026 is not just a one-time event but a tangible "economic catalyst." Join in driving Bangkok forward and supporting Suan Dusit University students as they take their first steps into the business world.
Tourists are advised to come hungry and experience the S/O/S flavors that transform hunger crises into opportunities for deliciousness. The event runs from 29 January to 8 February 2026 at Lan Khon Muang (in front of Bangkok City Hall), Phra Nakhon district.