BANGKOK, 19 September 2025: Every October, Phuket’s Tesagan Gin Je, or Vegetarian Festival, fills the island with colour, ritual, and the aromas of meat-free street food.
Taking place this year from 21–29 October 2025, the nine-day celebration of purity and plant-based eating has been observed for nearly two centuries.
While rooted in this tradition, Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hospitality group, is taking the festival spirit global.
In line with its DNA of bringing a modern Thai touch to every hotel around the world, Centara chefs are presenting creative vegan Thai dishes not only during the festival, but throughout the year across properties in Thailand, the Maldives, Japan, and Dubai.
“At Centara, we see plant-based dining not as a trend, but as a responsibility and an opportunity to inspire,” said Michael Henssler, Chief Operating Officer of Centara Hotels & Resorts. “Our chefs are reimagining beloved Thai flavours with creativity and authenticity, making vegan cuisine both accessible and exciting for our guests year-round.”
Reinventing the classics
Thai cuisine sits at the heart of this collection. In Hua Hin, Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin’s chefs highlight Wolffia green curry, a fresh take on the national favourite enriched with Wolffia, the world’s smallest edible plant and a local superfood packed with protein. At Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket, the signature Mee Hoon Gaeng Tao Hoo replaces crab with tofu in a Southern Thai curry vermicelli, allowing guests to enjoy the depth of coconut, turmeric, and spice without seafood.
In Bangkok, Suan Bua at Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao embraces its “Food as Medicine” philosophy with dishes that revive rare Thai herbs in vegan form. Tofu Herbal Spring Rolls are wrapped with Japanese mint, holy basil, and Pak Plaw, each chosen for its natural healing properties. Kaeng Liang Nop Gao, a royal-inspired vegetable soup, combines nine seasonal vegetables for balance and auspiciousness. For Chef Nim Pairin Hahingsa, who leads Suan Bua, “Good food is the best medicine” — a belief reflected in every dish she prepares.
Even Thai street-food staples are included. Guests can try a Healthy Vegan Pad Thai at Centara Life Bangkok Phra Nakhon, while at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya, a Quinoa Rice Noodle Salad with roasted chilli-tomato salsa, grilled king oyster mushrooms, and tofu nuggets pays homage to traditional Nam Prik dipping sauces with a modern, plant-based twist.
Maldives: comfort with island soul
Centara’s Maldivian resorts adapt Thai favourites and island produce into dishes that feel both familiar and exotic. At Centara Mirage Lagoon Maldives, the Vegan Massaman Curry delivers a rich coconut base infused with cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise, while Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives offers a nostalgic Vegan Yakisoba with Mushroom Hamburg, reimagining a Japanese comfort dish with local mushrooms shaped into a hearty plant-based patty.
Lighter options show a more tropical side. Roasted Pumpkin with Maldivian coconut milk is a simple, elegant dish that honours seasonal produce, while Maldivian Nature’s Indulgence, a hibiscus-infused watermelon dessert finished with passion fruit granite, provides a refreshing end to a sun-soaked day.
Celebrating seasonality in Japan
In Osaka, Centara Grand Hotel Osaka’s Kunsei restaurant presents a dish that epitomises Japanese reverence for seasonality. The Matsutake Dashi Risotto layers vegetable broth with matsutake mushrooms, kombu, and myoga ginger, poured tableside for a five-senses dining experience. While matsutake is only available in autumn, the dish is adapted with other mushrooms throughout the year, ensuring guests can enjoy the ritual year-round.
Middle Eastern meets mindful
At Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai, Thai inspiration meets Levantine tradition. The Autumn Pumpkin Kibbeh combines roasted pumpkin, bulgur wheat, caramelised onions, and chickpeas with vegan labneh and sun-dried tomato sauce, topped with sunflower seeds. The result is a dish that feels both familiar and surprising, blending Middle Eastern warmth with Centara’s plant-based vision.
Leading the way year-round
What began as a nine-day Phuket tradition is now part of a global conversation about food, health, and sustainability. Centara’s vegan Thai creations prove that heritage and innovation can share the same table. Whether enjoyed by vegan travellers, flexitarians, or families looking for healthier options, these dishes reflect the group’s broader commitment to mindful dining.
By focusing on seasonal produce, local sourcing, and plant-based proteins, Centara chefs are reducing their environmental impact while maintaining rich and authentic flavours. And the journey is far from over. As demand for plant-based dining grows, Centara is continuing to evolve its menus — ensuring Thai culinary traditions are not only preserved but also carried forward in new and exciting ways.
As Phuket celebrates its iconic Tesagan Gin Je Festival from 21 – 29 October 2025, Centara invites guests everywhere to experience Thai plant-based dining all year round.
For more information about Centara, visit www.centarahotelsresorts.com.
