Top grew up in a rural town in Thailand and was taught how to cook from a young age by his grandma. Before he knew it, cooking became a career that he is passionate about. Rustic Asian street food represent his pride and roots, and European cuisine is his passion and adventure.
In 2000, Top emigrated to his new home – Aotearoa, where he grew to love and commenced his professional culinary journey. Top gained his formal training from Auckland University of Technology, then got his foot at the door at White Restaurant in Hilton Auckland in 2004 working under renowned chef, Geoff Scott.

He next went on his OE to Sydney, Australia, where he furthered his career at Glass Brasserie at Hilton Sydney working under Michelin-starred chef Luke Mangan; as well as a few other large establishments including 360 Bar and Dining on Sydney Tower.
After travelling a bit around Europe, he returned to Aotearoa and worked as a Sous Chef at Mollies Boutique Hotel in Herne Bay, a Relais & Chateaux hotel. His adventure then continued to well-renowned restaurants like Sails Restaurant and Ostro Brasserie & Bar. He worked as a Senior Sous Chef at Ostro for 3.5 years before joining the team at Beast & Butterflies at M Social Auckland.

A seasoned hospitality professional with a passion for delivering exceptional service and creating memorable guest experiences. With over a decade of experience in food and beverage operations including managing multi-site casual dining, fast-paced, high-volume restaurant and bar establishments in Singapore. Maurice held key positions in renowned venues and played a vital role in the pre-opening setup for CéLaVi Restaurant and SkyBar at Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore before joining the preopening team of M Social Hotel Auckland as Food & Beverage Operations Manager, overseeing the successful functioning of Beast & Butterflies Restaurant & Bar. My role involves planning menus in collaboration with the Executive Chef, managing operations, creating beverage and wine lists, coordinating M Social Hotel’s special events, private functions, and meeting room hire in addition to managing day-to-day service. I also led marketing initiatives, organized events, and coordinated venue buyouts. Throughout my career, my teams have received multiple accolades, including the Best Dining Experience at the Singapore Tourism Awards and consistent Certificate of Excellence awards from TripAdvisor, Auckland, NZ.

I enjoy exploring New Zealand culture, cuisines, and tasting wines on my days off.