How Jampa Phuket Redefines Sustainable Farm-to-Table Gastronomy

Intro to Jampa

Today, we’re in Phuket to meet Chef Rick, executive chef of Jampa — one of Asia’s most forward-thinking zero-waste restaurants.

I first heard about Jampa through its open-air sibling: Hideaway, a Saturday-only pop-up that runs without electricity — just wood fire, seasonal ingredients, and a deep connection to the land.

Back in February, good friends were visiting from Berlin. One of them. Gina, used to manage a zero-waste restaurant and was in town to celebrate her birthday. So she didn’t hesitate when I asked how she wanted to celebrate her birthday:

“Hideaway by Jampa,’ she said. ‘It’s like Michelin food, but on an actual farm.”

A few days later, we were there, collecting eggs, brushing past rows of herbs and flowers, meeting ducks. And then the meal: simple, seasonal, unforgettable.

That visit planted a seed of curiosity.

Months later, I’m back—standing at the edge of a narrow bridge, a little deeper into the jungle than last time. Through a break in the trees, the restaurant emerges—not above the landscape, but from within it. Glass, oak, subtle, and grounded. Jampa.

I cross the bridge with an open mind—here to sit down with Chef Rick and find out what makes a restaurant like this possible.

But first, Jampa invites you to pause. Tatiana and I are offered a seat. House-made mocktails arrive.

We’re told: “Chef is preparing something for you now.”

Soon, we’re guided into the dining room for a quiet, four-course lunch designed to reflect the heart of Jampa’s philosophy.

Each dish is precise, plant-forward, and deeply seasonal.

And then… a curveball.

A dish built entirely around beetroot — my least favorite vegetable in the world. And to make it even more intense? Topped with fish bone sauce.

Yes, fish. Bone. Sauce.

My brain short-circuits. I’ve dodged beetroot for years. Now it’s the star of the show, dressed in bone sauce?

But something about this place... it whispers: trust it.

So I lean in — and I do. I take a bite, and everything I thought I knew about beetroot unravels. It’s smoky, rich, almost meaty.

Not just a change of opinion — a reframing of what sustainable cuisine can be… and how good beetroot can be.

It’s only after that beetroot moment he appears.

Chef Rick, the Executive Chef behind Jampa, steps out with quiet confidence that doesn’t demand attention. He smiles and gestures toward the trees.

“Enjoy your meal,” he says. “Then meet me outside. We’ll talk over coffee.”

So I do. I finished lunch, but now, I’m reading to understand what I just experienced.

Interview with Chef Rick Dingen

We sit across from one another on the patio, the last of the light filtering through the trees.

I press record and begin by asking how it all started.

The story of Jampa begins, unexpectedly, with what Rick calls a “happy joke” — a spontaneous decision nine years ago to leave European kitchens and move to Thailand. What began as an adventure has since evolved into one of the region’s most innovative food experiences.

He speaks passionately about the farm, not as a supplier, but as a creative partner.

For Rick, the farm next door isn’t mere convenience — it’s core to his philosophy.

"I think it's quite unique to have your farm next to your restaurant," he says. "Because you can visit daily, taste the ingredients in different phases, and experience them firsthand."

But it wasn’t always like this.

When Rick first arrived in Thailand, he brought the traditional European kitchen dynamic — the chef dictates, everyone follows.

"Actually, to be honest, I started at Jampa, right? And I told our farmers, 'I want tomatoes from our farm, I want this, and I want that.'"

Then something shifted.

"But in the future, I saw that the farmers felt uncomfortable with what I asked them to do. After a few months, I told them, 'Okay, you grow what you love to grow. I'll cook what you grow.' I don't want to force our farmers or fishermen around the island to grow or catch specific things."

This wasn’t just humility — it was sustainable strategy.
Letting growers lead unlocked flavors that Rick might never have thought to ask for.

"It's really important that they feel happy with what they're doing. I believe they can deliver the right and highest quality that we need at Jampa to create an exceptional dining experience for our guests."

Inside the Kitchen: Zero-Waste as Creative Fuel

Back in the kitchen, Rick points to something that immediately sets Jampa apart: three collection boxes prominently displayed.

But it wasn’t always like this.

"In our kitchen, we always have three boxes on standby. One is for fruit offcuts, one is for vegetable offcuts, and one is for seeds. We never mix them together."

It’s not just tidiness. It’s philosophy.

"When a guy is cutting the vegetables, what can we do with the offcuts? After brainstorming ideas—like making a powder, a pesto, or anything else—we try many different ways."

He continues:

"The first thing I would say, I think it's very easy. To put something on the side. The peel from the carrot... But for me, when I cut the carrot and I have the peel left, I think what we can do with this carrot."

Those scraps? At Jampa, they’re reimagined and returned to the menu, becoming a highlight of the dining experience.

"We put it back in the menu and give it to our guests, and the guests say, wow, this is something like a unique experience."

"For us, it's most important that we use from the root until the leaf or from the bone until the meat."

The Beetroot Manifesto

Now remember the beetroot story from before?

Now remember the beetroot story from before? That’s a key dish that Chef Rick expands upon that highlights their unique approach versus standard of fine dining.

"I think the way we cook vegetables at Jampa is quite unique. To be honest, I believe anyone can prepare a type of protein because they are all different, right? But at Jampa, we focus heavily on vegetables on how we cook them."

"It's like you get the feeling that it's meat, right? Like a smoky flavor, like the semi-dry beetroot. But at the end, you told me that you experience a meat-like texture, right? Like you're only eating a vegetable."

Even when guests request changes, Rick holds steady:
"Some guests, they say like, ah, can we take out the beetroot from the menu because I don't like beetroot. And I feel that confident to say, no, I let you try first. If you don't like it, I replace something else for you."

It’s a bold move — and one that usually delivers.

"And after, they say, thank you, chef. I'm happy that we try a beetroot because it's something unique. I've never tried before."

"The first thing I would say, I think it's very easy. To put something on the side. The peel from the carrot... But for me, when I cut the carrot and I have the peel left, I think what we can do with this carrot."

Those scraps? At Jampa, they’re reimagined and returned to the menu, becoming a highlight of the dining experience.

"We put it back in the menu and give it to our guests, and the guests say, wow, this is something like a unique experience."

"For us, it's most important that we use from the root until the leaf or from the bone until the meat."

Hideaway: Farm, Fire, and Food

Beyond the walls of Jampa, Rick has created an even more immersive concept: Hideaway by Jampa. I visited months ago with our friends Flor, whom I mentioned, Gina, pictured with Jampa staff.

JAMPA Resturant Phuket

Experience sustainable fine dining at Jampa, a MICHELIN Green Star-awarded restaurant nestled within Phuket’s Tri Vananda wellness community. Led by Executive Chef Rick Dingen, Jampa specializes in zero-waste, farm-to-table cuisine, utilizing live-fire cooking techniques to highlight the flavors of locally sourced ingredients.

Hours: Lunch: Wednesday–Sunday, 12:00 PM–3:00 PM

Dinner: Wednesday–Sunday, 6:00 PM–10:00 PM

For a unique experience, join the Hideaway by Jampa every Saturday from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, featuring a 10-course sharing menu cooked over a wood fire, starting with a guided tour of the on-site organic farm.

Reserve your table now at jamparestaurant.com