When Artem Tarasov launched his first restaurant in Phuket six years ago, he had all the chances to succeed. Unlike many, he had prior experience in this field outside of Thailand and, most importantly, he had lived in Phuket long enough to understand what people needed. Many in the expat community would remember his restaurant, The Art Kitchen in Chalong, where Artem served home-style food alongside global favorites ranging from Russian Blinis to Japanese Sushi.

“My friends kept saying I had to open a restaurant, and I was just jokingly declining until the same idea struck me on its own. I was driving along Soi Muay Thai, and all of a sudden, I got it: ‘Yes, I want to run a restaurant.’ I shared it with my better half, and after a “Why not?” we started putting things up for our first shop in Chalong,” Artem says.

Now his shop is on the entire island of Phuket, as he can cater anywhere. A villa, an office, a secluded beach, or a private yacht – his Art Box Catering is ready to serve.

Phuket’s leading catering service, the company cooks for weddings and cocktail parties, arranges buffets at MICE events, and serves exclusive dinners for celebrities. Artem proudly keeps “Box” in the name of his business as part of its legacy.

“With the pandemic around and my restaurant sitting idle, I started thinking of options until a bright idea came to my mind – celebrations. After all, officials didn’t ban celebrating special occasions with your family! We started delivering boxed food (thus the name), and after the first year, orders started growing bigger. We invested 80% of our earnings into equipment and constantly scaled the business. Then 2022 came, Thailand opened the borders, and we were staggered by the volume of orders,” Artem says.

It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that he met Svetlana, an international marketing professional and Artem’s invaluable business partner, who made things possible. The power of synergy skyrocketed Art Box Catering to the fame of Phuket’s leading provider of catering services, an impressive achievement in the food-centered culture of Thailand, a country where “meet” inevitable means “eat”.

While a delightful meal is integral to any Phuket event, tastes differ. At corporate parties, intricate finger foods are most popular. A wedding means a sit-down dinner, and a barbecue is good for all. Some requests are exotic, to say the least. The Art Box Catering team has already gained experience grilling a croc and a snake.

Ready to impress, the Art Box Catering team is prepared to cook up an exquisite storm. Think Salmon Tartare on Green Moss with Avocado Mousse; think Rocket with Smoked Duck Breast, Pine Nuts, and Mango; think Duck Leg Confit with Cherry Sauce. All these dishes are straight from the Art Box Catering menu – though from the Private Chef section.

No surprise, Artem has recently launched a fine dining restaurant to accompany his two established ones at Surin Food Hall. Located in Phuket’s Old Town, Neo Bistro is a dining destination specializing in classic French cuisine and occasionally hosting events centered around other prominent food cultures.

“The Beef Tartare and Sea Wolf with Special Sauce are our all-time favorites,” Artem proudly says before admitting he wishes he had more chances to enjoy Neo Bistro’s specials, such as Thai Wagyu Tenderloin. Serving feasts from Mai Khao all the way down to Rawai doesn’t leave much time to chill.

“A busy business,” Artem says. “But an incredibly satisfying one.”

To have a restaurant delivered to your villa or boat, please visit artboxcatering.com. For an informed start, check out pictures at @ArtBoxCatering on Facebook and Instagram. To book a table at Neo Bistro, go to Facebook.com/NeoBistro.Phuket.