Off Menu Kuala Lumpur: A Preview of the Gourmet Dishes at This Exclusive Food Festival

Chef Lee's Dish: Shanghai Lion Head

Traditional does not always have to mean dated, as Jade Pavilion's Lee has taken the Chinese chicken dish into a contemporary modern offering with heady ginger sauce. “I've always enjoyed experimenting with dishes. One of the main reasons I'm reimagining this dish is because everyone is either doing beef or seafood, and no one is doing Chinese," he smiles. 

Chef Goh's dish: Stories of the Sea

Being on the island of Langkawi—the Jewel of Kedah—has inspired Goh to create a dish that celebrates the riches of the sea. Think Iranian Baerii caviar, Loch Fyne Scottish rock oysters, ocean trout, and lobster. "I’m very happy with how this dish turns out," exclaims the chef at Kayuputi in St. Regis Langkawi. "With the use of premium ingredients, I really wanted to come up with something that would suitably reflect the St. Regis and Tatler brands."

Chef Reali's dish: Slow-Cooked Baby Octopus in Puttanesca Sauce

Although it is inspired by cuisine in the south of Italy, Reali of Natalina Italian Kitchen has given this seafood dish a Malaysian twist. He opines that the robust flavours should go down well with local palates, especially when paired with homemade sourdough bread. "I love seafood, especially octopus. The vegetables are typical of Italy's south, and give the dish a punch of flavours,” notes Reali. 

Chef Wong's dish: Salt-Baked Celeriac with Stracciatella, Bonito Butter Sauce and Beetroot Balsamic Reduction

Wong is thrilled to be part of Off Menu as it gives her a chance to venture away from the progressive Japanese cuisine Kikubari is associated with. After some discussion with Chef Reali, she decides to make a plant-based dish with Italian ingredients. "The chance to go carte blanche is so much fun for a lot of chefs. Events like this are great to stimulate us,” enthuses Wong. 

Chef Dahlhaus' dish: Poached Halibut with Barley Chowder, Clams and Wakame

For One&Only Desaru Coast's Dahlhaus, Off Menu is an opportunity to challenge himself and step out of his comfort zone using ingredients he doesn’t often work with. “I enjoyed my collaboration with Chef Au Yong as we're both very passionate and ambitious about seafood," he says. "His seafood are mostly from Japan while I source them from Europe, so to have seafood from different parts of the world coming together is wonderful."

Chef Au Yong's dish: Hamachi Carpaccio

Au Yong of Ebisu in Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur wanted something simple and unique. "The ingredients are a good mix of flavour and colour, and there’s not too much 'drama' in making it. But the most important thing is the freshness,” he says.

Chef Ramsey's dish: Japanese Unagi Hitsumabushi with Parmesan Cheese and Roasted Bell Pepper

Renowned for his creative takes on Japanese cuisine, Ramsey defies expectations by adding an Italian twist to his Off Menu creation. It's still classic Japanese but one would be delighted  by surprising ingredients. The result is still classic Japanese but with an Italian twist. Chalk it down to this collaborative nature of Off Menu. "The chance to be involved in this with all these other fine chefs, some whom I’ve never met before, has been exhilarating,” he says.

Chef Chai's dish: Pesto Porridge with Pulau Ketam Wild Caught Red Prawns, Kombu Glaze, Chef’s Furikake and Nori Ash

Chai of Copper describes his creation as "mind-boggling"—but it sounds delicious to us. The idea came to him one evening when he decided to throw all the ingredients he had on hand at that moment to create a dish. The result, he says, was a pleasant surprise. "Jeff is known for Japanese food, so through our collaboration, I decided to incorporate some Japanese components in my dish. It's a bit of East-meets-West," he shares.

Chef Tham's dish: Autumn Pain Perdu

According to Tham of Beta KL, this dessert deftly incorporates sweet and savoury cooking styles, and combines disparate ingredients into an unconventional yet highly satisfying whole. 

Chef Tay's dish: Citrus

Tay was inspired by nature when creating this dish. The one-word moniker belies the complexity that goes into making it; the acclaimed pastry chef promises it will surprise and delight diners. “Working with Raymond was a lot of fun as we're both very inspired by ingredients from Asian cultures," notes Tay.

See also: Off Menu Food Festival: A Curated Dining Experience Like No Other

Diners will also be treated to three Belvedere cocktails by mixologist Henry Tan who comes with 12 years of experience.

Off Menu Kuala Lumpur is strictly by reservations only. Places are limited so make your bookings early by clicking here or email myinfo@tatlerasia.com. Only two sessions are still available:

Nov 13 (Saturday): 2pm - 5pm 
Nov 14 (Sunday): 2pm - 5pm

For more info, visit the official website. Off Menu Kuala Lumpur is supported by Moet Hennessy Diageo Malaysia, Heineken, and San Pellegrino.

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