Foodies are set to descend on a Bangkok restaurant after the French publishing company Michelin released the second edition of its closely watched guide. With it, Chef Garima Arora's GAA in Bangkok is the first restaurant helmed by an Indian woman chef to be awarded the prestigious Michelin star. Our correspondent Dusita Saokaew takes a look at how a Mumbai-born chef and her restaurant have become the toast of the world's culinary scene.  

Walking down the streets of Thailand's capital, the aroma of stir frying chilies, garlic, and basil, mixed with the thick humidity of Bangkok, is a combination that switches on the senses of food lovers who come here from all over the globe. This metropolis is deservedly famous for the cheap prices and authentic tastes found at such spots.

DUSITA SAOKAEW BANGKOK "But there's a foodie's paradise that stretches far beyond the plastic stools and exhaust fumes. In recent years, Bangkok has emerged as a hub for fine dining establishments, boasting world-class Thai restaurants alongside innovative new additions and the Michelin Guide has taken notice."

Fresh on the scene is GAA. Only 18 months old, set up by Mumbai-born Thailand-based Chef Garima Arora, GAA has received the honor of securing a proud place in The Michelin Guide Thailand 2019 with a maiden star.

GARIMA ARORA HEAD CHEF, GAA RESTAURANT "What is important to notice here is we started off with the same team. To see them achieve this, I think they understand the benefit and they are so much more motivated."

While the team at GAA is basking in success, it's Garima Arora that is making the headlines as the first Indian female to helm a Michelin-starred restaurant. Her culinary trajectory has been the thing that most chefs dream of. In the last ten years of her career, she has worked in some of the most creative and high-octane professional kitchens in the world. It's an often macho and highly competitive industry, where women remain a tiny minority holding less than 5% of Michelin stars globally.

GARIMA ARORA HEAD CHEF, GAA RESTAURANT "Men and women are different. I think women bring a particular sense of sensibility to any situation. To draw from that, plus my Indian heritage, I think that is what gives GAA this amazing, unique experience."

Her feminine touch is reflected in her food- Subtle, beautiful, precise as Arora and her team explore new ways to transform local ingredients into something more contemporary and cross-cultural. For the winners, the Michelin stars may be the start of a sweet journey. Michelin-ranked restaurant will generally see revenues rise 50 – 100%. And that is exactly what is happening here as people come from all over the world come just to try Arora's culinary creations. This success is only the beginning as Thailand's food industry continues to grow despite the country's unstable economy. Dusita Saokaew, CGTN, Thailand.