‘Nyonya’ or Peranakan ladies were and have been known for their culinary magic. In the old days, kitchen was the heart of a Peranakan mansion. The Nyonya, who ruled the kitchen, played a household role as significant to that of Baba (male Peranakan) who owned the mansion. The Two Grandmas, as the name suggests, serves the best-kept Peranakan recipes and rare culinary knowledge passed down by the hotel’s founders, Ama Aeng and Ama Tu, veteran Nyonya cooks.
As a port town, Phuket is unsurprisingly a melting pot of cultures. Thai influences on Nyonya cuisine are what set apart the Phuket Baba recipes from the ones of other Peranakan Chinese. If you are new to Nyonya food, the Two Grandmas Restaurant is a good start.
On top of authentic Nyonya cuisine, Thai and Western dishes are also served.
Ama Tu Bakery is supervised by Ama Tu, the avant-garde cook whose passion for cooking began in her early childhood. Taking after her mother, one of the best Nyonya chefs, Ama Tu’s culinary skills were outstanding and she was particularly known for her Western-influenced baking. Some of her most popular bakery products include Four-layered Pineapple Pie, Chicken Bun and Coconut-Pandan Cake. Through the years, one thing that will never change is her belief in making ‘genuine’ food; keeping things simple and sincere.
