top of page
MENU
Chef Luca Mascolo already had a habit of not throwing food away, always finding ways to use ingredients in other creative ways, even before opening the restaurant. Once he had his own kitchen, that approach only became stronger, expanding into other areas of sustainability. His wife, Brigitta Houkamp, shares the same vision. Together, they bring this mindset into every part of the experience; From sustainable, locally sourced materials in the interior, to their new adventure: the Smokaccia Garden.
A thoughtful approach to sustainability
In the kitchen, the team follows a zero-waste approach. Chef Luca is known for using parts of ingredients that are often discarded - not because they lack quality, but because they’re considered difficult, time-consuming, or unfamiliar. Things like vegetable skins, roots, cores, seeds, or stems that many overlook can, with the right technique, be transformed into something elegant and in-depth flavours. Sometimes it’s about softening a tough texture, taming a bitter note, or simply finding a new way to highlight the beauty in what’s usually thrown away. These elements may take more extensive preperations, like longer cooking, fermentation, changing textures or just require more creativity, but for Chef Luca, they offer endless opportunity. He truly enjoys turning these parts into refined, flavourful highlights, adding depth to the dish and meaning to the process.
Zero waste cooking
The Smokaccia Garden
Another initiative by Chef Luca and Brigitta, sparked by a passion for sustainability and a love for pure, naturally grown ingredients, is the Smokaccia Garden. As Brigitta grew up in the city, she always felt a need to be surrounded by nature. She once took a test to discover what profession might suit her best-and the answer was: farmer. Though she became an entrepreneur with strong interest in design and creativity.
The connection to nature stayed in the background. Nowadays, living in Thailand, surrounded by tropical beauty, she felt inspired to finally explore it in a more hands-on way. Herbs, bell peppers, and seasonal fruits are beginning to take root. Chef Luca is obsessed with the bell-peppers as they as one of his signature dishes is build around them inspired by memories of his grandmother cooking with them when he was a child. Things take time to grow, but with patience and attention, the garden is beginning to flourish.
It’s also home to a few feathered characters who bring daily smiles. The chickens roam freely when supervised, and otherwise enjoy their spacious chicken farmhouse, complete with a long tunnel where they can scratch, stroll, and explore. Their eggs are collected daily and used in playful, creative ways—including in a dish that quietly invites guests to question what’s real, what’s plant-based, and how delicious sustainability can be.
A plant-based experience
Alongside the main tasting menu, which includes animal-based proteins, Chef Luca got carried away with creating a full plant-based experience—with the aim to make it truly delicious and to show that plant-based cuisine can be just as enjoyable, without any sense of missing out on taste. His goal was for vegetarian and vegan guests to be able to fully enjoy this unique fine-dining experience. This led to the creation of a dedicated 18-course vegetarian tasting menu - and even to an 18 - course completely vegan menu.
The vegan menu has become the most elaborate and flavourful vegan menu in Asia and among the top three worldwide. It even earned him the prestigious ‘Trendsetter Vegan and Vegetarian Cuisine’ Award in Bangkok.
In the never-ending search for beautiful, flavorful, and unique ingredients, the restaurant draws deeply from the richness Thailand has to offer. Chef Luca is passionate about working with producers across the country who share his respect for quality and seasonality.
Fresh burrata arrives from a farmer in Nonthaburi, organic tomatoes are grown in the cooler northern region of Chiang Mai, and fish is sourced directly from the Andaman Sea around Phuket. Almost everything used in the kitchen is sourced within Thailand—fresh, vibrant, and full of character.
Locally-sourced ingredients
Chef Luca and Brigitta sourced sustainable materials , visiting local wood shops and furniture stores to find reclaimed wood and even a few second-hand pieces with great potential. They restored these beautiful finds; like the repurposed teak tables in the restrooms. Leftover wood from the floor was transformed into a charming shelf displaying framed presentations of Chef Luca’s favorite herbs from their garden, imbuing the space with a warm, sophisticated charm that complements the restaurant's elegance
sustainable interior
The Smokaccia Garden
Another initiative by Chef Luca and Brigitta, sparked by a passion for sustainability and a love for pure, naturally grown ingredients, is the Smokaccia Garden. As Brigitta grew up in the city, she always felt a need to be surrounded by nature. She once took a test to discover what profession might suit her best-and the answer was: farmer. Though she became an entrepreneur with strong interest in design and creativity. The connection to nature stayed in the background.
Nowadays, living in Thailand, surrounded by tropical beauty, she felt inspired to finally explore it in a more hands-on way. Herbs, bell peppers, and seasonal fruits are beginning to take root. Chef Luca is obsessed with the bell-peppers as they as one of his signature dishes is build around them inspired by memories of his grandmother cooking with them when he was a child. Things take time to grow, but with patience and attention, the garden is beginning to flourish.
It’s also home to a few feathered characters who bring daily smiles. The chickens roam freely when supervised, and otherwise enjoy their spacious chicken farmhouse, complete with a long tunnel where they can scratch, stroll, and explore. Their eggs are collected daily and used in playful, creative ways—including in a dish that quietly invites guests to question what’s real, what’s plant-based, and how delicious sustainability can be.
_edited.png)
The Smokaccia Laboratory
Adress: 116/4 Moo 3 Surin, Tambon
Choeng Thale, Chang Wat
Phuket 83110
Opening times
Thursday - Monday
Closed: Tuesday, Wednesday
Seating times:
between 6pm - 7.30pm, every 15 min
Reservations are only made through
this website
© 2025 The Smokaccia Laboratory
Phone
0931794489
bottom of page