Los Angeles bistro, Camphor, had a 2-night fling with NYC this week. The evening, presented by San Pellegrino featured dishes from Camphor's original menu with their signature, most popular dishes, and a dinner open to the public in collaboration with Monsieur Vo. 

Having first opened in February 2022, the Michelin star hotspot, Camphor, is known for its elegant contemporary take on French cuisine. It creates an imaginary world where France borders India - quintessential French approaches, mixes with south Indian spices. Helmed by two young, impeccably pedigreed Co-Executive Chefs Max Boonthanakit, and Lijo George, and developed by No.8 Hospitality Group, Camphor re-imagines the classic bistro experience. Adding unique flavors and approaches to well-known dishes, one can recognize nods to the duo’s South and South Asian backgrounds and classical French training. 

Michelin-star Chef Lijo George is a recent arrival onto Los Angeles’ diverse and distinctive dining scene, having moved to the US to open this exact restaurant. Born and raised in the coastal region of Kerala in Southern India, George is heavily influenced by his upbringing and roots working on his family farm. His philosophy toward food, developed at the farm, became the restaurant’s motto: keep it simple and use only the best ingredients.

As for Max Boonthanakit, the chef and Atlanta native  has over 10 years of restaurant experience, including working with the luminary Alain Ducasse, holding a position at The Bazaar in Los Angeles under the renowned Chef José Andrés, venturing, at the age of 25, as Pastry Chef at the Michelin-starred Taiwanese omakase-style Kato,. Boonthanakit later went on to become as Chef de Cuisine at the award-winning restaurant Nightshade in DTLA’s Arts District, bringing this innovation, drive, and talent to his newest creation: Camphor.