Alessandro Frau: A Taste of Sardinian Cuisine in Thailand | Olianas

From waiter to award-winning chef: Alessandro Frau’s story is a journey that begins in Sardinia and crosses Europe before finding a home in Thailand, where he now runs two restaurants named Acqua, in Phuket and Bangkok. His path reflects determination and a constant pursuit of excellence in Italian cuisine abroad.

Born and raised in Cagliari, Frau belongs to the generation of young Sardinians who, in the early 2000s, looked beyond the island’s borders in search of new opportunities. At twenty, driven by a desire to learn English, he decided to move to London, a metropolis that at the time attracted young people from all over Europe. Like many of his peers, he faced the challenge of balancing language studies with the need to support himself in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

The turning point came thanks to a friend already working in London’s restaurant scene, who suggested an opportunity in a Turkish restaurant as a waiter’s assistant. “I didn’t speak English well and had no experience in any other field,” Frau recalls, but this apparent limitation would become the seed of his future career. The restaurant, located in the lively Shoreditch district, became his first real exposure to professional hospitality.

His initial role had him spending most of his time in the kitchen, in that border area between dining room and stoves where mise en place is prepared and services are organized. It was here, in the hectic yet methodical atmosphere of a professional kitchen, that Frau discovered his calling. “I was fascinated watching the chefs at work,” he says, “their precise movements, the way they cut ingredients, the way they managed every aspect of the kitchen.” During quieter moments, he began volunteering to assist the cooks, starting with the simplest tasks, such as chopping parsley or preparing basic ingredients.

“As Italians, we are almost obsessed with eating and cooking,” Frau explains, emphasizing how this innate passion for food, a fundamental part of Italian cultural DNA, found fertile ground in the professional culinary environment. What had begun as a simple necessity to support himself abroad gradually transformed into a true passion, fueled by the energy and precision that characterize a professional kitchen.

His curiosity and desire to learn led him to the prestigious Grosvenor House, one of London’s most renowned five-star luxury hotels. Here, in the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Frau found what he describes as “a very strict, very detailed school” that set him on the path to fine dining and refined cuisine.

His journey took him through various experiences across Europe, including Paris, and summer seasons in Sardinia, until he eventually arrived in Thailand. He initially planned to stay for three years, but at just 27, he was promoted to Executive Chef at the Sheraton Luxury Collection in Phuket, overseeing 12 restaurants and 130 chefs.

In 2009, after consolidating his experience, Frau decided to take what he himself calls “the big leap”: the opening of his restaurant Acqua in Phuket. The decision arose from a small consultancy for a restaurateur friend, an experience that made him realize the potential of a project entirely his own. “I opened the first fine dining restaurant in Phuket, something at a level that perhaps didn’t even exist in Bangkok,” he recalls, with a mix of pride and awareness of the challenges this choice entailed. His concept proved revolutionary for Thailand at the time: a minimalist design restaurant, featuring completely white interiors and meticulous attention to detail, from the uniquely presented dishes to impeccable service. It was a concept that clearly stood apart from traditional Italian dining abroad, which often relied on stereotypes and compromises.

The challenges were immediately numerous and complex. The opening, scheduled at the end of the high season, forced the restaurant to face the toughest period of the year right away. “At that time, there were no social media like today,” says Frau, highlighting how promoting such an innovative concept had to rely almost entirely on word of mouth. Running a fine dining restaurant entails high fixed costs, from highly qualified staff to top-quality ingredients imported from Italy, while initial revenues are limited by the need to gradually build a clientele.

But it was precisely in this critical moment that Frau’s true strength emerged: a deep awareness of his project, a conscious entrepreneurship based on the understanding that gastronomic excellence must be supported by a solid business strategy.

During the first years, monthly losses gradually eroded his personal savings, forcing him to request a loan from his family. Yet Frau never gave in to the temptation to compromise quality or simplify his concept. “When I go to Michelin-starred restaurants, I recognize what the best is,” he explains. “What I had in mind was defined; I knew I was moving in the right direction, and I continued.” This determination allowed him to maintain high standards even in the most difficult times, convinced that only through consistency and constant excellence can a lasting reputation be built in the world of fine dining.

Frau’s cuisine is distinguished by a strong Italian identity, with particular influence from Southern Italy and Sardinia, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens that highlights its essence. “It is a cuisine that favors lightness,” the chef explains, describing his choice to eliminate butter and cream from main courses, reserving them only for pastries. This decision is not a mere whim or a concession to dietary trends, but the result of a reflection on the very nature of Italian cuisine.

For Frau, authenticity also means evolution, while respecting the original flavors and the deep identity of each dish. This approach is evident in the selection of ingredients, which represent the true starting point for every creation. “You cannot make great cuisine without great ingredients,” he asserts, explaining how the pursuit of quality is a continuous process that requires attention and ongoing refinement.

In the world of contemporary dining, where aesthetics often risk taking precedence over substance, Frau maintains a clear position: taste must always come first. In his approach, the presentation of the dish arises naturally from the arrangement of the ingredients, without forced elements or superfluous decorations that could compromise the harmony of flavors.

This philosophy is also reflected in his approach to the menu, characterized by consistent quality rather than change for the sake of novelty. “I don’t change a dish that works just to say I’ve changed it,” he states firmly. His dishes evolve according to the natural rhythm of the seasons and the availability of the best ingredients, in a continuous process of refinement that resists the pressures of a market constantly hungry for newness. Some dishes have become true icons of the restaurant, proving that real innovation can also come from the constant perfection of an existing recipe.

His cuisine draws its strength from the coherence of choices. This approach has allowed Frau to create a distinctive and recognizable style, capable of appealing both to the most refined palates and to those simply seeking the pleasure of a memorable meal.

Despite the geographical distance, Frau’s connection with Italy and Sardinia remains the beating heart of his cuisine. His dedication to quality is reflected in his choice to import 95% of the ingredients from Italy, a decision that entails significant costs but one the chef considers indispensable. “The Parma ham you serve in Thailand costs the same as the one that arrives in Rome,” Frau explains, “but then you have to add air freight, customs duties, clearance… it’s normal that the final price is 50–80% higher.” A choice that may seem uneconomical, but reflects his uncompromising stance on quality.

Sardinia’s presence on Acqua’s menus is evident through iconic ingredients that tell the island’s gastronomic story. Fregula and malloreddus, carasau bread, and bottarga—which, at certain times of the year, is prepared directly in the restaurant’s kitchens. Even the extra virgin olive oil comes from Alghero, while Sardinian wines hold a place of honor on the wine list, testifying to the qualitative evolution that the island’s viticulture has undergone in recent years.

In 2022, the consolidated success in Phuket led Frau to take a new leap forward with the opening of Acqua Bangkok. The chef likens this move to “going from Serie B to Serie A,” emphasizing the change in scale and prestige that this new challenge entails. While Phuket was already a significant success, Bangkok opens the doors to a completely new world. The Thai capital provides an international stage, attracting a clientele that includes high society, politicians, prominent entrepreneurs, and a busy calendar of collaborations with leading international fashion houses.

“In Bangkok, we felt a bit like islanders, seasonal and left to our own devices, somewhat like we sometimes feel in Sardinia,” Frau reflects. The opening in the capital therefore represents not only a commercial expansion but a true professional evolution: “In Bangkok, you discover a different level, you deal with different people, everything is higher and also more challenging, but it’s an important game.” Success in this more sophisticated context confirms the validity of his vision and opens new growth prospects, with collaboration projects with prestigious hotel chains and international brands on the horizon.

The success of his restaurants demonstrates that true rooting does not mean losing identity, but the ability to grow and thrive in new territories. His cuisine preserves the Italian and Sardinian soul intact while enriching itself through dialogue with the local culture, creating something unique and authentic.

Frau’s story shows how talent, combined with determination and the willingness to take risks far from home, can lead to extraordinary results. His experience teaches that success in the restaurant world is a mix of entrepreneurial vision, courage in decision-making, and fidelity to one’s principles.

Today, Acqua represents a benchmark for high-level Italian dining in Thailand, an example of how Italian cuisine can serve as an ambassador of our country in the world, maintaining its roots while adapting and evolving in international contexts.