Foodista is the name that should spring to mind when you are looking to buy ultra-premium quality food products here in Hua Hin. A short drive from Phetkasem Road, Foodista is located on Soi 112 near the office of the honorary French consul, with ample off-street parking allowing you plenty of time to browse at your leisure.
The term “foodista“ blends an English word with a suffix common in Latin-based languages, “ista”, to describes a person in relation to that activity, item or principle. Most people are happy to label themselves as a foodista. Much more stylish, they would contend, than a mere foodie.
Stocking a superb array of cheeses and charcuterie items from France, Italy, Spain and beyond along with fresh seafood, such as oysters, mussels, whelks, live lobster and shrimps, which arrives weekly, Foodista is sure to have something to delight your tastebuds and excite your imagination. There are things in this store that are near-impossible to buy anywhere else in Hua Hin. I spotted confit duck legs, veal from The Netherlands, 100% grain-fed Stockyard beef from Australia and pigeon from France in the many fridges and freezers lining the walls.
Foodista is a veritable Aladdin’s cave of treasures for the gourmet food lover. A well-stocked wallet and a carry bag are essential as leaving with only one item is a very rare occurrence for visitors to this establishment. If you eat it, drink it, season or dress your food with it, or use it to accompany other foods, then Foodista will have it, from vinegars to oils, from salt to mustard, from olives to artichokes, from fruit juice to coffee capsules. And that’s not to mention the alcohol.
The proprietor, Giordano Saint-Georges, is a chatty, amiable gentleman with a mixed Italian and French heritage. I was interested to learn the French side of his family traces its noble history back to the fabled legend of St George, of dragon-slaying fame, and that earlier members of his family lived in a castle. Yet, Giordano acknowledges, he is the black sheep of the family, having chosen to take himself off to explore the world at 19 years of age, and eventually settling in Thailand with his Thai/Chinese wife. He studied at Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School in Bangkok and has worked extensively in the hospitality industry, even as a partner in a French restaurant before opening Foodista in September 2021. His original business plans took a hit at the hands of the Covid pandemic but Giordano is positive about both his business and personal future. He is very much looking forward to expanding his family soon, with the impending arrival of his first child.
Although Giordano does stock a very few, select Thai product items such as a range of artisanal goat’s cheeses from Chiang Mai, it may be difficult for local food producers to meet his exacting standards when it comes to organic principals and limited use of artificial preservatives. While Giordano has his own range of homemade black olives and cornichons, the vast majority of his products are sourced from all over the globe and imported by air. The products he sells aren’t for the budget-conscious, but you certainly get what you pay for. Giordano’s customers rest assured that he has secured only the best products for his store, and will personally guarantee their quality.
Foodista has a very loyal customer base and Giordano repays this loyalty by sourcing special requests wherever possible. When he notes a new epicurean delicacy available fresh, he will notify his customers, gather numbers and place a special order for the rabbit, Bresse chicken or black winter truffle that has taken his fancy. With this wide selection of all things yummy, Foodista’s customers find there is always a delicious food experience awaiting them. Although originally most of Foodista’s customers were European expats, now the client base is expanding to include many Bangkok Thai visitors to Hua Hin who are looking to build on their knowledge of Western delicacies.
Dining is available on the outdoor terrace or indoors in air-conditioned comfort. Giordano would like to assure customers that the stylishly colourful table setting at the front of the store is there to be used, and that he would be delighted to prepare a cheese and charcuterie tasting platter or a baguette for you to enjoy instore, washed down by a bottle from the Fentiman’s cola or botanically brewed flavoured tonic water range or another drink of your choice.
Should you desire something stronger, there is an excellent range of wines from France, Italy, Australia, Chile, California and more available for purchase, as well as liqueurs and single malt Scotch whiskey.
Two things truly stood out to me about Foodista’s approach to its customers. Firstly, Giordano has built a personal relationship with each and every one of them and is looking to soon create some networking events where they will be able to learn more about each other. The second is that Giordano has a strong commitment to encouraging sustainability amongst his customers. He buys fruit juice from Brazil so he can offer a juice with much fewer preservatives, sells coffee packed in biodegradable capsules, encourages reusable paper bags to carry purchases and promotes the uptake of olive oil purchased in refillable bottles.
Giordano’s customers will tell you it is the little things like this that make Foodista the special store it is.
Author: Felicitee Lawrie
Felicitee Lawrie spends as much of her life as she can in Hua Hin, Thailand. She is passionate about exploring the local culture, keen to make contacts among the Thai and expat residents of Hua Hin and in particular wants to learn more about the food culture of this area of Thailand. If she is able to promote local businesses and producers along the way, this is indeed a bonus. Felicitee has also been enjoying her writing in the People of Hua Hin series of feature articles, finding so many local people have fascinating stories to share with her.
