Food enthusiasts are in for a treat as the highly anticipated Kita Food Festival kicks off its gastronomic journey this fall. Beginning in Kuching on September 27, the festival spans across cities, including Penang from October 13 to 15, Singapore from October 19 to 23, and culminating in Kuala Lumpur from October 26 to 30.
Attendees can savor an array of flavors brought to life by talented chefs from Malaysia, Singapore, and various corners of the globe. The festival promises a delightful fusion of Malaysian and international cuisines, ranging from exquisite fine dining experiences to laid-back casual dining affairs. Culinary highlights include two lively Big Sunday Barbecues and the unmissable event, The Great Mezze.
Delve into meaningful discussions at the Kita Conversations symposiums, where experts in the field, including chefs, food producers, historians, and anthropologists, will deliver enlightening TED-style talks. Participants can explore crucial topics such as sustainability, effective food waste management, and the strategies that drive success in the culinary business.
The Kita Food Festival promises an unforgettable culinary adventure, where innovation, flavors, and knowledge converge to create an unparalleled feast for the senses. Food lovers are encouraged to mark their calendars and prepare their taste buds for an extraordinary journey through the world of gastronomy.
KITA FOOD FESTIVAL | MALAYSIA EVENTS CALENDAR
September 27 | Kuching | Roots Bistronomy
Casual dining event at Roots Bistronomy with Chef Anthony Yeoh from Summer Hill in Singapore and Chef John Lim (Roots Bistronomy).
PENANG
Friday October 13 | Au Jardin
New Zealand’s Vaughan Mabee, Masterchef judge and Chef of the Year, from Amisfield will collaborate with Malaysian Kim Hock Su at Michelin starred Au Jardin. The dinner will showcase the two chef’s culinary skills using fresh artisanal produce.
Friday October 13 & Saturday October 14 | Gēn
Chef Hans Christian, one of the co-founders of Jakarta’s August (#95 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023), will bring his globally inspired flavours for two dinners with Johnson Wong at Gēn 根i a restaurant known for its modern Malaysian cuisine.
Saturday October 14 | Communal Table by Gēn
Singapore’s Malcolm Lee from one-Michelin star Candlenut will take over the kitchen at Communal Table by GĒN for a one-off dinner.
Sunday October 15 | The Great Mezze | ChinaHouse
Join eight lauded chefs, four from Singapore and four from Penang, working two to a station over open flames with Malaysia’s finest produce in the courtyard of China-chic ChinaHouse with great cocktails, craft beers, natural wines and a DJ. Chefs include:
- Jhiun-Dick Leong (Open Farm Community, Singapore) x Mathijs Nanne (Suffolk House, Penang)
- Eugene See (Birds of a Feather, Singapore) x Nurilkarim Razha (Jawi House, Penang)
- MJ Teoh (Native, Singapore) x CC Lee (Juju Lounge, Penang)
- Malcolm Lee (Candlenut, Singapore) x Wagyu Tan (Communal Table by gēn 根, Penang)
KUALA LUMPUR
Thursday October 26 | Dinner at Entier
Two of Asia’s best French cuisine chefs Julien Mercier from Singapore’s Claudine and Japanese born Masashi Horiuchi from Entier will create fine bistro plates and sharing style dishes, all set against the skyline backdrop of the 43rd floor of Entier at the Alila Hotel.
Friday October 27 | Dinner at Mano
With an upbeat party vibe, funky tunes, and feisty Spanish Mexican tapas, this dinner at Mano with Mexican born Sergio Meza and Spanish born Chele Gonzalez from Gallery by Chele will be a fun event with an abundance of drinks and tapas style food.
Friday October 27 & Saturday October 28 | Dinner at Dewakan
This is one event not to be missed – dinner at one-Michelin star restaurant and #74 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023 Dewakan with Chef Darren Teoh (and co-founder of KFF) along with Germany’s renowned chef René Stein from one-Michelin star restaurant Tisane. The two chefs will create an atmosphere where diners can interact with the chefs and learn about the dishes they are creating. This will be a truly gastronomic journey for guests.
Friday October 27 & Saturday October 28 | Dinner at Hide
Sharing a penchant for French inspired omakase but drawing ingredients from their homelands, chefs Fukuyama Goh from Goh and GohGan and Malaysia’s Shaun Ng from Hide will create an exceptional once-in-a-lifetime dining experience with fine wines and exceptional skyline views.
Saturday October 28 | Dinner at Ignis
As one of the top female Japanese chefs, Keiko Kuwakino from Michelin starred Sanaburi in Niigata, Japan will create an exceptional menu using local ingredients and nature as her inspiration for a one-off dinner with Lroy Lim at Ignis along with sake pairing by Danny Leong from The Sake Place, Kuala Lumpur.
Sunday October 29 | Big Sunday Barbecue
The Big Sunday Barbecue is always a crowd favourite with easy-going vibes, and a vast menu from some of the region’s hottest chefs, working together over open flame grills with a zero-waste approach. This casual BBQ dinner will throw the best of Southeast Asia onto the grill including local seafood and heirloom ingredients peppered with lots of spices and ugly delicious offcuts of meat made beautiful. Chefs include:
- Jovan Goh, Kotuwa, Singapore and Mohammed Eliyaz and Yavhin Siriwardhana, Nadodi
- Oliver Truesdale-Jutras, Lo&Behold, Singapore and Michael Yee, Waig by Chipta11a
- Carlos Montobbio, Esquina, Singapore and Leong Chee Mun, Raw Kitchen Hall
- David Tang, Humpback, Singapore and Mandy Goh, ATAS
Monday October 30 | Kita Conversations:
Kita Conversations is an on-going dialogue on all thing’s food including its production, history and consumption in SE Asia. The goal is to build an open platform for everyone working in the food and beverage industry. Speakers include:
- Author of ‘The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through the Archipelago’ Khir Johari specialises in Malay history and how food has played a part in shaping Singapore Malay culture.
- Nithiya Laila, the presenter of ‘Edible Wild’ on Channel News Asia which shows how netizens in Asia’s megacities grow, forage and cook with indigenous ingredients.
- Australia’s David Thompson is owner/chef of numerous restaurants including Long Chim Perth, Long Chim Sydney, Aaharn Hong Kong and Aksorn Bangkok.
- Egyptian born chef Moustafa Elrefaey from Zooba restaurant group
- Dr. Eric Olmedo specialises in the anthropology of food
- Sustainability expert, founder of Light Blue and food waste hacker Benjamin Lephilibert
- Chef Chele Gonzalez from Gallery by Chele, Philippines
- Canadian chef Oliver Trusdale-Jutras from Lo&Behold in Singapore.
- Malaysian born, Australian resident chef and Masterchef winner – Diana Chan
Singapore Weekender Events | October 19 -23
Thursday October 19, Friday October 20 | Four-hand dinner at Marguerite, Singapore
India’s Prateek Sadhu will join forces with Michael Wilson from Marguerite in Singapore for a four-hand dinner. The two chefs will create a thoughtful tasting menu based on Prateek’s quest to discover the lost ingredients of India, with Michael’s worldly cuisine.
Friday October 20 | Four-hand lunch and dinner at Fico Masseria, Singapore
Italian born Mirko Febbrile from Fico Masseria and food author Anissa Helou will host a lively lunch and dinner at this charming Italian seaside destination.
Friday October 20, Saturday October 21 | Four-hand dinner at Underdog Inn
Australian chefs Matt Stone from Mosey on Inn (@ciaomate & @youbeauty2479) and author of The Natural Cook, along with Peter Smit from Underdog Inn will combine their unique Aussie talents to create lunch and dinner feasting menus across two days.
Friday October 20, Saturday October 21 | Six-hand dinner at Fiz
Join Michelin star chef Ivan Brehm from Nouri along with Deepanker Khosla from Haoma in Bangkok and chef-owner of Singapore’s Fiz Hafizzul Hashim as they celebrate crossroads cooking and the influences of India’s culinary heritage on the Malaysian Peninsula.
Saturday October 21 | Six-hand lunch and dinner at Kubo, Singapore
Join avant garde Filipino chefs Ross Magnaye from Serai Kitchen in Melbourne, John Kevin Navoa from Hapag in Manila and Kurt Sombero from Kubo in Singapore at Kubo for a six-hand Filipino feast lunch and dinner. The three chefs are in the vanguard of a New Filipino food movement emerging, one which takes the flavours of the archipelago and presents them in a new and more modern light.
Saturday October 21 & Sunday October 22 | Four-hand dinner at Candlenut, Singapore
Discover the shared heritage of flavours and ingredients of Indonesia and Singapore in a four-hand dinner by Putu Dodik Sumarjana of Bali’s Nusantara by Locavore and Malcolm Lee of Singapore’s Michelin-starred Candlenut
Sunday October 22 | Big Sunday Barbecue, Singapore
The Big Sunday Barbecue is an all-star lineup of Singapore’s best up-and-coming chefs and hottest barbecue restaurants. There will be eight chefs, each paired into four teams. Each team will rein command over a barbecue, flame grilling an array of dishes throughout the evening. Rounding out the barbecue will be great tunes, craft beers, cocktails and more. Chefs include:
- Marcus Tan, Fool Wine Bar, Singapore
- David Tang, Rosemead, Singapore
- Matteo Ponti, Braci, Singapore
- Sunny Leong, RVLT, Singapore
- Son Pham, Sonny’s Pizza, Singapore
- Ahmir Arshad, Wildcard, Singapore
- Fariz Ramli, Revolver Singapore
Monday October 23 | Kita Conversations, Singapore
Kita Conversations is a series of TED-style talks with an on-going dialogue on all thing’s food including its production, history and consumption in Southeast Asia. Speakers include:
- Matt Orlando, the American-born, Danish based chef and owner of restaurant Amass, and leader in the sustainable food movement.
- London-based chef, teacher and author Anissa Helou who specialises in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and North African cuisines.
- Author of ‘The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through the Archipelago’ Khir Johari specialises in Malay history and how food has played a part in shaping Singapore Malay culture.
- Indian chef Prateek Sadhu
- Nithiya Laila, the presenter of ‘Edible Wild’ on Channel News Asia which shows how netizens in Asia’s megacities grow, forage and cook with indigenous ingredients.
- Dr. Farshad Shishehchian from Blue Aqua, a pioneer in inland aquaculture and the inventor of MixotrophicTM system, a super-intensive but fully sustainable shrimp and fish farming system.
- Australian Matt Stone, arguably the leading sustainable chef in Australian dining and author of ‘The Natural Cook’.
- Chef, author and guest chef on Netflix’s Chef’s Table and also known as the World’s Best Pastry Chef – Will Goldfarb from Ubud’s Room4Dessert
- Australian Pete Smit from Underdog Inn is known for his ‘nose-to-tail’ approach to cooking using open fire grilling and smoked goods techniques.
For more information about the Kita Food Festival and to stay up to date with news and events visit Kita Food Festival or follow them on social media: Facebook Instagram and Linkedin