After successful outings in Hong Kong, Taipei, Shanghai and Bangkok, the Off Menu festival arrives in Kuala Lumpur
Prepare for a culinary extravaganza like no other. This month sees the debut of Off Menu Kuala Lumpur, in partnership with HSBC Premier. This thrilling gourmet experience celebrating chef collaborations will make its debut at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
What exactly is Off Menu? An exclusive event by Tatler, it brings together renowned chefs from all over the country and places them in teams of two. These teams are tasked to create exciting, one-of-a-kind dishes you would never find elsewhere, not even at their restaurants. These ‘off menu’ creations are then made on the spot for guests to enjoy at this pop-up food festival.
Malaysia will be the fifth country, after Hong Kong, Taipei, Shanghai and Bangkok, to host this unique dining experience. Off Menu's inaugural edition was held in Hong Kong in 2019. The three-day event was held on the rooftop of the Peak Galleria that boasts a magnificent view of the city skyline.
“We believe that Hong Kong’s culinary scene is one of the most exciting in the world, led by some of the most interesting chefs and tastemakers working today. We’ve also long dedicated ourselves to promoting local talent and flavours, and Off Menu is, at its heart, a food festival that will offer a true taste of Hong Kong in a way that has not been done before,” the first announcement for Off Menu proclaimed.
See also: What's Cooking At Off Menu, Hong Kong's Newest Food & Drink Festival
The event was a jubilant celebration of Hong Kong’s vibrant food scene, with some of the city’s most accomplished chefs joining forces with culinary icons from Michelin-starred restaurants. The result was 12 unique "off menu" dishes served to over 1,300 guests. Local stars such as Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room, May Chow of Little Bao Diner and Tam Kwok Fung of Wing Lei Palace rubbed shoulders with international names such as Jordy Navarra of Manilla’s Toyo Eatery and Hisato Hamada of Tokyo’s Wagyumafia. Legendary sushi chef Mitsuhiro Araki of three-Michelin Araki even made a special appearance each day to demonstrate his mastery of tuna carving.
Off Menu Hong Kong proved a success, and was hailed by many as one of the most exciting events of the year. It wasn’t long before other regions decided to host their own versions of this festival.
Off Menu Taipei was held at the Hotel Indigo Taipei from December 4-6 2020. The event showcased 10 chefs, two mixologists and one pâtissier, including Chef Wes Kuo of Embers, Chef Eric of Gen Creative, and Chef Paul Lee of Mexican-Japanese restaurant Impromptu By Paul Lee. All dishes were created around the theme of ‘Heritage’.
Read more: The Best Asian Cities For Food, From Kuala Lumpur To Kota Kinabalu