Get ready for Five Days of Food, Fellowship, and Fun
Prepare your palates (and plates) for a food-filled affair, as Kita Food Festival makes its fourth return to Kuala Lumpur. As our dry season comes to a close, tongues will be wet and wagging for five feast-centric days between September 4th to 8th, before continuing its journey to Singapore from January to March 2025.
Building on the success of its forerunners, the festival brings together the most decorated gastronomic talents from across Southeast Asia. This edition of Kita Food Festival reverently spotlights innovative fusions and regional culinary trends through a series of Four-Hand Dinners and Full Kitchen Takeovers. After all, when it comes to diversity in food, there is no disputing Malaysia’s mettle. These legendary collaborations are set to happen at a select few restaurants across the Klang Valley.
As per tradition, the spirit of culinary collaboration will culminate in a blowout Big Sunday Barbeque that promises to be an exceedingly delicious time.
An idea cooked up by Dewakan’s Darren Teoh, acclaimed food journalist Leisa Tyler, and Adrian Yap of Tiffin Culinary and Freeform, the festival is a bid to elevate Southeast Asia’s profile in gastro-tourism, spotlighting the crème de la crème of the region’s flavours and food innovators. This chapter of Kita Food Festival in particular hones in on narratives of authentic farm-to-table connections, innovative spins on local dishes, and cultural fusion with local ingredients.
Sate your curiosity by checking out this year’s line up of curated dining experiences, collaborative cook-ups, symposiums, and mentorship programs below.
Potager KL
On September 4th and 5th, Thailand’s farm-to-table pioneer, Jimmy Ophorst of Michelin Green Star winner PRU, teams up with Masashi Horiuchi at Potager for an unforgettable four-hands dinner experience.
Image credit: @jim_ophorst
Yellow fin horse
Ben Devlin, a 2023 Regional Restaurant of the Year finalist from Pipit in New South Wales, Australia, is set to take over the kitchen at Yellow Fin Horse on the 5th and 6th of September. Get ready for a plant-forward, meat-free feast featuring native Australian bush foods artfully combined with the freshest Malaysian-grown produce.
Hide
On the 5th and 6th of September, Johnson Ebenezer of India’s award-winning Farmlore teams up with Shaun Ng of HIDE for a four-hands dinner that traverses a culinary journey through Malaysia. Each course will highlight a top-tier ingredient from ethical producers across the nation, offering guests a true taste of provenance.
Image credit: @farmlore.in
RAW
Prin Polsuk, chef of the one-Michelin star Bangkok restaurant Samrub Samrub Thai, is set to introduce Southern Thai Fisherman cuisine to Raw, Else Kuala Lumpur on the 6th of September. Diners can look forward to a distinctive, laid-back dinner that embodies the food security, diversity, and community-centric cuisine of the Southern Thai gulf’s island natives.
Image credit: @samrubsamrubthai
Akâr Dining
On the 6th and 7th of September, Hans Christian of August in Jakarta returns to the Kita Food Festival to showcase the rising trend of New Nusantara cuisine. Teaming up with Aidan Low of Akâr Dining, they’re set to deliver a mouthwatering experience that’s not to be missed.
FIFTY TALES
Louis Tikaram, the 2014 “Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year,” celebrated for his inventive fusion of Fijian, Chinese, and global flavors at Brisbane’s Stanley, will bring his distinctive Modern Chinese comfort food to Fifty Tales on the 6th and 7th of September. Prepare for a flavour-packed experience that pushes the boundaries of traditional cuisine.
Image credit: @stanley_restaurant
entier
Christophe Lerouy, Chef Patron of the one-Michelin Star Lerouy in Singapore, will join forces with Masashi Horiuchi at Entier on the 7th of September for a sensational collaboration.
Image credit: lerouy.com
A Food Affair
On the 7th of September, Kita Food Festival will debut A Food Affair at The Toffee on Jalan Raja Chulan. Dive into a dynamic day packed with inspiring keynote speeches and fireside chats from regional food experts, hands-on food and wine masterclasses, and a bustling marketplace brimming with artisanal delights from all corners of Malaysia.
Keynote Speakers:
- Su Kim Hock | Where Have All the Sous Chefs Gone? Navigating the Restaurant Labor Crunch
- Ben Devlin | How To Make Use of Every Part of a Squid
- Vanika Choudhary | Ancient Indian Fermentation Techniques
- Dr David Neo | Chitty Peranakan Food Culture
- There will also be talks from Michelin-starred chefs, Jimmy Ophorst and Ivan Brehm.
Masterclasses:
- Pete Smit | Nose to Tail: How to Butcher a Whole Goat
- Wong Yin How | French Wine and Cheeses
Big Sunday Barbecue
To cap off the KL Weekender in true Kita Food Festival style, the Big Sunday Barbecue on September 8th promises a sizzling finale with some thrilling grill partnerships. Among these undeniable talents are Pete Smit of Dirty Supper in Singapore, Vanika Choudhary of Noon in India, and local internet sensation Anis Nabilah.
Whether you’re an aspiring chef or a fervent foodie, this year’s festival promises to have a little bit of something for everyone.
Tickets are on sale now, so make a beeline for their website here. For more information, or simply to stay up-to-date, follow Kita Food Festival’s Instagram and Facebook.
Also read:
Inside Malaysia’s First Fine Dining Dessert Hub
