There are chefs who cook food, and there are chefs who tell stories through it. Chef Phyu Cyn, known to the world simply as Chef Goo Goo, belongs entirely to the second category. This April, she arrives in Mumbai, and By The Mekong at the St. Regis will not be quite the same again.

On the evenings of 17 and 18 April 2026, in an exclusive collaboration between the St. Regis Mumbai and Dean With Us, founded by Akanksha and Rupali Dean, and renowned across Asia for curating cross-cultural food and beverage showcases, the restaurant transforms into a vibrant canvas of Burmese flavour. Think Yangon’s lively streets, Bangkok’s spice markets, and Paris’s eclectic kitchens, distilled into a single, remarkable table.

The timing is not coincidental. The pop-up coincides with Thingyan, Myanmar’s traditional New Year, and the menu will include a special selection of dishes uniquely prepared for the festive season, offering Mumbai’s diners a rare glimpse into a culinary tradition that is as celebratory as it is ancient.

THE CHEF: A CULINARY STORYTELLER WITH A PASSPORT FULL OF FLAVOUR

Born and raised in Yangon, Chef Goo Goo draws on her Anglo-Burmese heritage and Eurasian upbringing to craft dishes that hold authenticity and modern storytelling in equal balance. She grew up understanding that great cooking isn’t merely about technique, it is about mettā (compassion) and cetanā (kind intention), two philosophies she still stirs into every bowl of mohinga or tea leaf salad she serves.

Her pop-up passport reads like the itinerary of someone who has never stopped being curious. She has fed natural wine enthusiasts in Paris, where Alison Roman called her food “incredible”, collaborated with culinary royalty, including Massimo Bottura, Gerald Passedat, and Andy Ricker, and surprised food lovers from Goa to Geneva with layers of flavour they didn’t know they were missing. On Instagram as @ladygoogoo, she is the charming culinary whisperer quietly making the case that Burmese food is the next great thing. She is also, legendarily, the chef who can conjure the precise taste of Myanmar anywhere in the world without lugging a suitcase full of exotic spices. That is not a trick. That is talent.

Her style? Street-side soul food meets elevated Anglo-Burmese finesse, all executed with the effortless charm of a global wanderer. From tangy tea leaf salads that sing with history to hearty mohinga that feels like a hug from Myanmar itself, every plate is crafted with authenticity, artistry, and intention. She feels her flavours rather than follows rigid recipes, and the difference is legible in every bite.

THE EXPERIENCE

For two evenings, By The Mekong will become something it has never quite been before. The restaurant, already one of Mumbai’s most atmospheric dining addresses, will serve as the stage for a pop-up that is equal parts feast, cultural exchange, and culinary storytelling.

The General Manager of St. Regis Mumbai described it well: “This collaboration is a love letter to global connections, creativity, and the power of food to spark conversation. For two evenings, we invite Mumbai to taste her journey.”

This is not a pop-up in the transactional sense of the word. It is a considered, limited-edition experience built on the conviction that food, at its finest, is a form of travel, and that Myanmar’s progressive dining culture deserves a seat at the table of India’s most discerning city.

With Chef Goo Goo at the helm and Dean With Us shaping the vision, the showcase brings together culinary storytelling, cultural exchange, and a celebration of a cuisine that the world is only beginning to understand. One dish at a time, she is putting Myanmar on the global map. This April, she does it from Mumbai.

EVENT DETAILS

Venue: By The Mekong, The St. Regis Mumbai Dates: Friday & Saturday, 17 & 18 April 2026 Timings: 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM Reservations: +91 86575 22956 · +91 22 6162 8422 · +91 22 6162 8000

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