A Michelin-Star internship in Bangkok is a supervised, short-term placement inside a Michelin-rated or Michelin-level kitchen where you train under professional chefs to learn fine-dining standards, techniques, and service discipline. These internships can range from short internship rotations to longer paid or unpaid placements in luxury hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants.
Bangkok’s fine-dining scene has matured rapidly, and the city hosts several Michelin-rated restaurants where internships and stagiaire opportunities exist.
This article explains what Michelin-level internships look like in Bangkok, what top kitchens expect, how École Ducasse Nai Lert Bangkok Studio prepares you, a step-by-step application playbook, visa/document checklists, templates (CV + email) and trial-shift prep. Follow the headings below to jump directly to the section you need.
What is a Michelin-Star internship in Bangkok?
A Michelin-Star internship (often called a stagiaire) is a targeted placement inside a fine-dining kitchen where you work alongside chefs to learn production, timing, plating, and service systems at the highest standards. In Bangkok, these opportunities appear in Michelin-rated restaurants such as Blue by Alain Ducasse and Michelin-level hotel kitchens and may be formal internships or short stagiaire rotations.
Why Bangkok?
Bangkok’s culinary ecosystem is globally recognized and expanding: the Michelin Guide’s 2025 edition placed Sorn at Three MICHELIN Stars, an important local milestone signaling increased demand for Michelin-grade talent and training. This makes Bangkok a practical destination for aspiring fine-dining cooks seeking to showcase skills on a major stage.
What Michelin & Michelin-level kitchens expect
Top kitchens expect precision, speed, consistency, humility, and the ability to learn under pressure. In practice, that means clean knife work, correct mise en place, food-safety knowledge, consistent plating, and the soft skills of punctuality, listening, and teamwork.
Core technical competencies
You should be ready to execute classic techniques (knife skills, stock & sauce foundations, protein butchery, pastry basics) and understand fine-dining service flow (timing for tasting menus, pass-to-service system).
Soft skills & workplace behaviors
The right behaviors include
- Punctuality
- Clear communication
- Rapid corrective learning (receive feedback → apply immediately)
- Deference to brigade hierarchy
These traits matter as much as technical skill when chefs choose interns.
How École Ducasse Nai Lert Bangkok Studio prepares you
École Ducasse’s Nai Lert Bangkok Studio offers professional kitchens, pastry lab, chocolate & ice-cream laboratory, and a private dining room facilities designed to simulate high-end restaurant environments, enabling students to practice techniques used in Michelin-style kitchens. This institutional training makes students more likely to pass technical trials and impress during stagiaire periods.
Step-by-step application playbook
Below are actionable steps.
Step 1: Skill & portfolio preparation
- Build a 3–5 dish portfolio specifically for the style of the restaurant (e.g., modern Thai for Sorn; modern French for Blue). Include high-quality photos and short production notes
- Drill foundational skills: 30 minutes/day knife work, 1 tasting-menu mise en place per week, pastry basic once per week
- Get certified in food safety / HACCP if possible as this is often required or recommended
Step 2: Networking & alumni leverage
- Attend industry events, pop-ups, and masterclasses where you can meet chef teams
Step 3: Application materials
- Prepare a kitchen CV (one page), short portfolio, and a concise cover email that references specific dishes or relevant service experience
Step 4: Trial shifts & staging
- Be ready to stage for 2-14 days; shorter stagiaire placements are common for high-demand kitchens. Gaggan, for example, advertises 2-month stagiaire rotations
Step 5: Visa & legal
- If you’re an international student, secure the Non-Immigrant ED visa for curricular internships or the appropriate permit which often requires a school letter plus host letter
Visa & Documents Checklist
For international interns, the Non-Immigrant ED visa is commonly used for curricular internships and requires documentation from both your school and the host employer. Typical items include passport, passport photos, proof of enrollment, internship offer/letter from the restaurant/hotel, and bank/proof of funds documents or sponsor letters.
| Document | Issuer | When to Request | Notes |
| Letter confirming internship placement | Host restaurant/hotel (HR) | As soon as internship is offered | Must state duration, duties, and sponsorship (if any) |
| Letter of acceptance / curricular internship confirmation | École Ducasse / home institution | After placement accepted | Required for Non-Immigrant ED (curricular) |
| Passport (valid 6+ months) | Applicant | Before applying | Check expiration |
| Passport photos | Applicant | With embassy/consulate application | Recent (6 months) |
| Proof of funds / bank statements | Applicant / sponsor | With visa application | Rules vary by consulate; check local embassy page |
| Proof of accommodation (sometimes) | Host or booking | Before visa | Hotels sometimes provide |
Summary
Landing a Michelin-Star internship in Bangkok requires focused technical preparation, a concise targeted application, active networking, readiness to stage, and correct visa/document preparation. Bangkok’s Michelin ecosystem creates real high-level learning opportunities but success depends on demonstrable skill, humility, and persistence.