American Spa Blog » Chiva-Som

Chiva-Som Launches Skincare Line

Lisa Bruckenstein, Contributor — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:45:28 +0000

Many guests often wish they could bottle the relaxing and rejuvenating effects a spa visit has to offer. With that in mind Chiva-Som (Hua Hin, Thailand), one of the world’s leading destination spas, is now retailing its resort products for at-home use. Chiva-Som’s luxurious line of products incorporates traditional Asian healing ingredients with the latest skincare technologies. Staying dedicated to its holistic approach, the Chiva-Som line was created by experts combining aromatherapy, botany, chemistry, and perfumery. The products range from 95 to 100 percent pure and are free of parabens and other chemicals. Designed for both women and men, there are 12 skincare products, seven bodycare products, and five massage oils, all of which offer the same quality that guests have come to know and expect. Guests will look like they just stepped out of the spa without leaving the comfort of home.

Chiva-Som Serves Up Scrumptious Salad

Julie Keller, Editor-in-Chief — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:43:34 +0000

Ask anyone who knows me, and you will quickly find out that I am a really picky eater. I have weird issues with texture, taste, and seeds, so it’s often hard to find food I like that is actually good for me. Today, the team from Thailand’s acclaimed Chiva-Som destination spa came to New York City to treat a group of journalists to a healthy lunch concocted by their incomparable executive chef, Paisarn Cheewinsiriwat. When he announced that we would be having Banana Blossom Salad to start, I got nervous. Bananas rank as one of my least favorite fruits (back to my texture and seed problems), and I was not looking forward to a salad made with them. Turns out, I had nothing to worry about. Banana blossoms are delicious, and the salad was divine. I loved it so much, I wanted to share the recipe here. In New York City, most of these ingredients can be picked up in Chinatown or at Whole Foods. Outside the Big Apple, head to your local Asian specialty food store.

Banana Blossom Salad
2 ½ TBSP Lime Juice
2 TBSP Soy Sauce
1 ½ TBSP Honey
1 TBSP Roasted Chili Paste
2 Bird’s Eye Chilies, Finely Chopped
4 ½ oz Banana Blossom, Peeled
4 ½ oz. Chicken Breast, boiled for 10 minutes and shredded
3 TBSP ground roasted almond, coarsely chopped
2 TBSP Sliced Shallots
2 TBSP Chopped Spring Onions
1 TBSP Finely Diagonally Sliced Lemongrass
4 TBSP Roasted Coconut Flakes, To Garnish

To prepare the dressing, whisk lime juice, soy sauce, honey, chili paste, and chilis in a large bowl. Set aside. To prepare salad, gently toss all remaining ingredients with all of the dressing in a mixing bowl until evenly mixed. Sprinkle over coconut flakes and server.

This is just one of the wonderful recipes in the spa’s latest cookbook, Chiva-Som’s Thai Spa Cuisine. I received a copy at lunch, and I can’t wait to test out more healthy dishes to see if I can overcome some of my other food quirks. To order your own copy, click here.

What’s Cooking at Chiva-Som?

Heather Mikesell, Executive Editor — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:11:43 +0000

Executive chef Paisarn Cheewinsiriwat demonstrates one of Chiva-Som's healthy dishes.

Two years ago I was fortunate enough to visit Chiva-Som, a renowned destination spa in Hua Hin, Thailand. To say my experience there was life changing is somewhat of an understatement, but then again, that’s really the purpose behind a destination spa. Although I’ve never been overweight (probably on account of the fact that I’ve been blessed with a decent metabolism and am something of a fitness fanatic), I do have a major sweet tooth. Just ask anyone who knows me about my passionate love of ice cream. Before Chiva-Som, I had developed an unhealthy addiction to Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt. In fact, I was consuming up to five pints a week. Because a girl can only work out so many hours in a day and metabolisms do eventually slow down, I knew I had to kick the habit. It was at Chiva-Som that I totally changed the way I eat, cutting out sugary snacks (which in my case meant chocolate) and replacing them with fresh fruits, reducing my carb intake, and becoming a stickler for portion control. Imagine my surprise when, upon my return, the scale began registering numbers I’d never before imagined possible. When people ask how I did it, I credit Chiva-Som with kick starting my transformation. And now, guests who sign up for the spa’s culinary packages can learn to master their diet as well with a new hands-on cooking class in which they’re taught proper cooking techniques and the fundamentals of gardening. This year also introduced a Private Lunch and Learn, a one-on-one session that gives guests dining at the Chef’s Table a chance to create a personalized three-course menu that is prepared before them by the chef, and a Private Beach Barbeque, which treats guests to a selection of their favorite ingredients prepared to their liking. Thanks to my Chiva-Som visit, I’m a size or two smaller despite working out less than ever, and I have yet to indulge in my pint-a-night addiction.