Cover Restaurant Shu KL explores Chinese diaspora cooking (Photo: Restaurant Shu KL)
Restaurant Shu KL explores Chinese diaspora cooking (Photo: Restaurant Shu KL)
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The executive chef shares his greatest culinary influences, why Chinese diaspora cooking has always intrigued him, and what he hopes to bring to the table with Restaurant Shu KL
Restaurant Shu KL, located in the heart of the city, is an exciting new opening that has been popular in conversation (and reservations). Helmed by Chin Wong, the restaurant explores Chinese diaspora cooking and how elements of cuisines and cultures are influenced by migration.
This was largely influenced by Wong’s stint at Ensue by Christopher Kostow in Shenzhen, China: “During my time there, I realised how little I knew about my own culture; there was so much I was learning every day, especially about Teochew cuisine,” he says.
Rather than working with newer or lesser known ingredients, Wong strips it back to basics at Restaurant Shu KL, visiting his roots and the food he grew up with.
We speak to Wong to find out more.
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Above Restaurant Shu KL is named after Wong’s mother
Above The menu at Restaurant Shu KL delves into the influences of migration on cuisine
Restaurant Shu KL is named after Wong’s mother
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Who has been your greatest culinary influence throughout your career?
Dan Bark and Riley Sanders. I met [Bark], who now runs Cadence and Caper, back when I was working at Upstairs at Mikkeller Bangkok. He taught me how to be a professional and, most importantly, to think about every single thing I do, from folding a towel to walking—it all matters and is part of the discipline needed to work in the kitchen.
I was also there when Riley Sanders opened Canvas in Bangkok, and he is the man who taught me everything, from how to think about food to being relentless, and he put his reputation on the line for me multiple times. I owe him more than I can ever repay, and he is the single biggest influence on my career.
[Sanders] and [Bark] are the two voices I hear in my head every time I try to take a shortcut, and they are two of my greatest mentors.
Above Chin Wong of Restaurant Shu KL
Above Teochew braised duck with taro fondant and taro purée
Chin Wong of Restaurant Shu KL
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Tell us about the concept behind Restaurant Shu KL?
We call it diaspora or migrant cooking. At the present time, we focus more on Chinese cuisine as it is something close to home for me. For instance, why Chinese food in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and China all differ from each other, though ingredients are not dissimilar.
It is the intersection of cultures and ideas in time that I find so intriguing, and hence why we try to draw out these nuances here.
Above Restaurant Shu KL is located within Menara IMC
Above A snack of Jasmine rice bread with Lao Gan Ma butter and pork floss crumble
Restaurant Shu KL is located within Menara IMC
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What book do you think every chef should read?
David Thompson’s Thai food. During my time at Nahm in Bangkok, I realised that cooking doesn’t have to always be constrained by how you were trained, or how people 500 years ago cooked.
Chefs tend to always use the same aromatics, for instance, mirepoix for stocks, and we are taught to do things a certain way. At Nahm, I learned you don’t have to—we used chicken skin in fish stocks, which is something that would give the French a heart attack and make Joël Robuchon turn in his grave, but it was so delicious.
See also: Behind the curation of the gourmet menu served at The St Regis Kuala Lumpur at Tatler Ball
Above Wagyu with yu xiang sauce
Above Soy-brined aged duck
Wagyu with yu xiang sauce
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What is a dish on the menu that means a lot to you?
As odd as it may sound, there is not one. I try not to get too attached to any one dish, as this makes it hard to take certain dishes off the menu, and it becomes a prison and a reason to stop pushing and innovating.
We always try to work on a better dish than one that came before it, and hence a better menu. No matter how good a dish is or how popular it is, the best is yet to come.
Above Wong is at the helm of the kitchen
Above The restaurant’s fruit platter is fondly known as “FOFP”—ask Wong what this refers to and if you’re lucky, he’ll tell you!
Wong is at the helm of the kitchen
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It’s your last meal, what is on the menu?
My mum’s cooking!
What are your plans for the future of Shu?
I hope to be able to present food that my team and I can be proud of and to give my team a better life. It is all about our craft, the team, and how we can make everything better for everyone.
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Images: Restaurant Shu
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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.
