About Us
Team Thai
Meet the chefs and servers who are dedicated to making your dining experience at Red Elephant Siam both enjoyable and memorable. Together, they bring over a century of combined experience in Thai cuisine and hospitality.
Head Chef Sittisak Moonpen began his culinary career in Thailand at the age of 17, progressing from small independent establishments to working as a chef in a Chinese restaurant within the prestigious Banyan Tree Hotel in Bangkok. While his expertise is rooted in traditional Thai cuisine, his early experience with Chinese cooking subtly refines his approach to flavour and technique. Since relocating to the United Kingdom, he has brought his skills to some other well-regarded Thai restaurants before joining Red Elephant Siam approximately nine years ago.
A Location with a Story
Our charming building, situated in the heart of East Dean, has had an intriguing and varied past. Its history reflects the changing face of the village over more than a century and adds a unique character to the restaurant as it stands today.
The first photo below, taken around 2003, shows the building in its previous life as Grimaldi Restaurant. Above the restaurant was the private residence of the business owner, Diana de Rosso. Rosso, was a Hollywood socialite and a close friend of actor James Mason, about whom she wrote a personal biography. She also had an earlier career as an international opera and concert singer, which she used as a cover to assist with British espionage during the Second World War.
Go back further to the second photo, taken circa 1950, and you'll see the property when it housed two separate businesses. On the left was Café Delphine. On the right, Weller’s Stores Meat Department, which used our existing sash window to open directly onto the pavement so customers could view and buy meats from the street. This part of our restaurant we call the Butcher's Room.
The earliest image, dating from around 1910, shows the site before the current building existed. At that time, The Green and the surrounding land formed part of a working farm. A high flint wall stood where the restaurant is now located, with an opening on the right leading to a yard behind, which housed horse stables.
With your support, we're writing the next chapter!
