InterContinental Danang Unveils Artisan Stories: Where Art Meets Gastronomy

DANANG, VIETNAM – From June 6-11, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort will host Artisan Stories, a festival centred on the theme of Art Meets Gastronomy. Set across the Bill Bensley-designed retreat on the Son Tra Peninsula, the six-day programme features acclaimed chefs, guest mixologists, immersive dining concepts and live entertainment, reinforcing the resort’s standing as one of the region’s most distinctive dining destinations while drawing fresh attention to Danang’s evolving culinary scene. 

At the centre of the festival is Bensley x Le Squer: The Art of Joie de Vivre, a two-night residency at La Maison 1888 that pairs the expressive art of Bill Bensley with the cuisine of three-Michelin-starred Chef Christian Le Squer. Conceived as a first for InterContinental Danang, the experience reflects the festival’s emphasis on craftsmanship, creativity and a strong sense of occasion, culminating at La Maison 1888 on 10 and 11 June. 

“Artisan Stories reflects the way we see luxury today: immersive, experiential and rooted in a strong sense of place,” said Seif Hamdy, General Manager of InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort. “By pairing world-class chefs, mixologists and creative talents in one programme, we want to create something that goes beyond dining and gives guests a fresh way to experience the energy of Danang’s culinary scene.” 

Where art meets the table 

At La Maison 1888, the festival’s theme is expressed through two distinct experiences. On June 8 and 9, In Residence: Chef Christian Le Squer centres on the chef’s own culinary vision, with Le Squer presenting the menu and the inspiration behind each dish. On June 10 and 11, Bensley x Le Squer: The Art of Joie de Vivre brings Bill Bensley into the experience, as he unveils and interprets his artworks alongside Chef Christian’s cuisine. 

“Food and art have always felt like kindred spirits to me — both are about composition, storytelling, and a sense of place. Working with Christian Le Squer, it becomes a conversation between flavour and form, where each inspires the other in quietly unexpected ways,” said Bensley. 

For Le Squer, that connection is just as central to the experience, shaping not only the menu itself but the way each dish is imagined and presented. 

“My approach to creating a dish is very similar to that of artistic disciplines such as architecture or painting: I really enjoy adding colour, just like Bill Bensley,” said Le Squer. “I would like guests to take away a sense of the connection between two men, two cultures and a union between two ‘unmanageable’ artists.” 

That collaborative spirit extends to Tingara, the resort’s modern Japanese restaurant, where the Culinary Constellations: Six Hands Dinner series brings together guest chefs from Hong Kong and Vietnam, including Chef Loïc Portalier from Louise, Chef Cuong Nguyen from An’s Saigon and Chef Hoang Tung from T.U.N.G Dining, in collaboration with the restaurant’s culinary team. At L_o_n_g Bar, guest mixologist Ohm Supapat from Bangkok’s F*nkytown spotlights Vietnamese herbs and botanicals in a two-night cocktail showcase. 

On June 11, Tingara takes on a more intimate focus, with Chef Junichi Yoshida guiding the evening and guest Chef Hoang Tung featured as part of the experience. Rooted in Yoshida’s precise, theatre-led approach to modern Japanese dining, the evening brings the festival’s collaborative spirit into one final encounter shaped by craft, seasonality and contemporary expression. 

“Events like Artisan Stories truly enrich our destination’s tourism offering as a leading hub for distinctive, experience-led travel, where international talent and local identity intersect,” said Nguyen Thi Hoai An, Deputy Director, Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. 

The creative forces behind Artisan Stories 

Few figures shape Artisan Stories more strongly than Chef Christian Le Squer, the three-Michelin-starred force behind La Maison 1888 and one of the defining names in contemporary French gastronomy. Born in Brittany, he brings to the restaurant a style that balances discipline with instinct, and refinement with emotion. His philosophy of Joie de Vivre gives the festival much of its warmth and personality, making him a natural fit for a programme built around the meeting of cuisine and art. 

Alongside him is architect and designer Bill Bensley, whose visual imagination has long shaped InterContinental Danang and whose role in Artisan Stories extends beyond design into painting and live interpretation. 

At Tingara, the restaurant’s identity is guided by Chef Junichi Yoshida, whose modern Japanese approach brings precision, theatricality and a strong sense of craft. The wider programme is rounded out by guest appearances from Loïc Portalier, Chef Cuong Nguyen, Chef Tung and mixologist Ohm Supapat. 

Six days of dining, drinks and discovery 

Saturday, June 6 

• Opening Day beachfront celebration with live cooking, gourmet kiosks, curated drinks, music, entertainment, and a Beach BBQ & Bonfire. 

Sunday, June 7 

• Festival Brunch at Citron. 

• Culinary Constellations: A Six Hands Dinner at Tingara featuring Chef Loïc Portalier. 

Monday, June 8 

• Culinary Constellations: A Six Hands Dinner at Tingara featuring Chef Cuong Nguyen.  

• In Residence: Chef Christian Le Squer at La Maison 1888. 

Tuesday, June 9 

• Culinary Constellations: A Six Hands Dinner at Tingara featuring Chef Hoang Tung. 

• Cocktail Showcase with Ohm Supapat at Long Bar. 

• In Residence: Chef Christian Le Squer at La Maison 1888. 

Wednesday, June 10 

• Culinary Constellations: A Six Hands Dinner at Tingara featuring Chef Hoang Tung, with special guest Chef Junichi Yoshida. 

• Cocktail Showcase with Ohm Supapat at Long Bar. 

• Bensley + Le Squer: The Art of Joie de Vivre begins at La Maison 1888. 

Thursday, June 11 

• An Evening with Chef Junichi Yoshida at Tingara. 
• Final night of Bensley + Le Squer: The Art of Joie de Vivre at La Maison 1888. 

For reservations and more information, please reach out to our team:
Email: dining.icdanang@ihg.com 
Tel: +84 236 393 8888 | Ext. 6328