Fifteen Eleven
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The Fifteen Eleven menu highlights products* brought from the Portuguese. Main dishes emphasize the river (Thailand) and oceans (Portugal). The desserts move away from stereotypical mango and sticky rice, instead showcasing desserts inspired by the Portuguese.
While chili, papaya, cashews existed elsewhere in the world, som tum and pad thai would not have come together anywhere else. For precisely this reason, Fifteen Eleven as a concept tinkers between chance and destiny.
*Chili, papaya, corn, pumpkin, pineapple, custard apple and bullock’s heart (noi na), sweet potato, sunflower, cassava, guava, cashew nut, tomato, and others…
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1511 is the year Portugal became the first European nation to make contact with the Kingdom of Siam.
Dominant foreign traders, the Portuguese introduced firearms and New World goods from the Columbian Exchange, influencing Thai language and culture. Thai cooking evolved into what we enjoy eating today because of their exchanges.
Thailand remains a country that has never been colonized by a western country. Drawing inspiration from this underrated history, 1511 is a loving nod to peaceful and friendly cultural exchange.
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Inspiration for the color palette is drawn from recurring colors from Thai shophouse doors (natural wood, painted green and turquoise are common) and Portuguese tile work.
Fifteen Eleven draws inspiration from an underrated history. It’s about connecting over conquering. It’s a loving nod to peaceful and friendly cultural exchange.
This is a conceptual project illustrating Akitso’s approach — “telling deeper stories through food.” Part of our vision for more vibrant communities is empowering creative and courageous self expression among underserved food business owners.