It is thanks to Malcolm Lee's visionary approach to traditional Straits Chinese cuisine that the rest of the world is paying more attention to the local fare and its culture. His restaurant, Candlenut, is the world's first Michelin-starred Peranakan establishment. It serves contemporary renditions of traditional recipes that Malcolm hopes will help elevate the reputation of lesser established cuisines such as his own. In 2022, he opened his second restaurant, a fine dining concept called Pangium.