Cover Esca Khoo was born and raised in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (Photo: Esca Khoo)
Esca Khoo was born and raised in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (Photo: Esca Khoo)
1 / 1
Tatler speaks to the energetic chef about the cuisine he loves to share
If there’s one thing Esca Khoo isn’t lacking, it is energy. Animated and enthusiastic, Khoo is excited to be in Malaysia for the third time in the past two years. However, the country isn’t foreign for the 30-year-old chef who was born and raised in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
“I moved to Australia at 14 with the intention to pursue a career as an athlete. Studying wasn’t for me, and culinary school allowed me to move overseas and train at a young age, but my initial passion was actually in sports.”
Read more: International Women's Day: 15 inspiring Malaysian women in F&B to follow
Khoo found a passion for the culinary arts and set his focus on becoming a chef. However, he soon realised that this wasn’t an easy career path. “I had to grow up at a very young age. As a migrant in a foreign country, I faced a lot of rejection and failure—I had to knock on a lot of doors and do a lot of convincing for the chance to prove myself.”
Khoo kept his head down, willing to do whatever necessary to succeed, and eventually worked his way up the ranks. He gained experience in all kinds of establishments, from hotels and hospitals to wine bars and fine dining restaurants. Eventually, he got to work with some of his idols including René Redzepi, Heston Blumenthal, and André Chiang.
See also: International Women's Day 2023: Local women-owned F&B businesses to support
Meanwhile, Khoo also connected with people he met from around Asia who inspired his cuisine. “My friends are from Taiwan, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Many times, chefs are replicas of where they come from—for me, I was influenced by those around me.”
Khoo tells me the food he loves to serve is from all over Asia, an amalgamation of the cultural dishes merged in a harmonious manner. In the next few months, he plans to travel around Asia, with his next stop being Vietnam.
"I am learning from and cooking with different establishments, working with exciting flavours and meeting new people in different environments." Funnily enough, I first met Khoo in person at a weekend pop-up with Eat & Cook two days prior to this interview.
Khoo reveals that he hopes to come full circle and settle down in Asia, adding that some of his fondest memories are eating his favourite foods while growing up—kaya toast, eggs, and a cup of local coffee followed by kolo mee.
“I am excited about the possibility of moving to Asia and being given the opportunity to share my views,” he enthuses. “It is such an exciting place to be, and something that I’ve always wanted to do.”
NOW READ
International Women's Day: Celebrating 8 women bartenders who are shaking things up
About
Katelyn is the dining and travel editor of Malaysia and Indonesia. Based in Kuala Lumpur, she offers readers an inside look at the movers and shakers in Asia’s growing food and beverage industry.
