Text: Dian Pasquinal Kaur
Dewakan ranked 49 on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2022. Photo: Dewakan
Few places offer a culinary landscape as varied and storied as Malaysia’s, a country shaped by migration, trade routes and everyday multicultural living. From smoky hawker stalls to inventive fine dining, the food scene delivers depth, complexity and soul. Yet, it remains somewhat underrepresented when it comes to international recognition.
While social media is awash with praise for our food scene, those voices rarely influence the people who matter most in this context — the Asia’s 50 Best voters comprising chefs, restaurateurs, journalists and culinary insiders as well as the elite, food-driven travellers whose experiences help shape global culinary narratives.
This year’s list, announced in March at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, saw Gaggan in Bangkok reclaiming the top spot.
Dewakan is a celebration of Malaysian heritage, weaving native and often overlooked ingredients into its menu. Photo: Dewakan.
Malaysia’s presence on the list came courtesy of returning entrant Dewakan at no 84, while newcomer Au Jardin made its debut at no 100. It begs the question – what will it take for Malaysia to secure a place among the region’s culinary elite?
“Looking at the 50 Best across all of Asia — with billions of people in China and India, and almost 300 million in Indonesia — it might be tricky to assume that restaurants make it into the list easily. There needs to be a unique proposition to draw diners in,” says Darren Teoh, chef-patron of Dewakan, which began in 2015 as a molecular gastronomy venture at KDU University College.
“We don’t measure success by awards but by how we treat our guests, workforce and the role we play as a restaurant. Ultimately, a restaurant must be financially viable. We owe that to our stakeholders and team. But beyond that, it’s about creating good memories for our guests and a welcoming space where our craft can thrive.”
A Culinary Narrative
Chef Darren Teoh. Photo: Dewakan.
Darren believes many misunderstand accolades like Asia’s 50 Best. “They’re recognitions not qualifications. A restaurant must first operate effectively, both as a craft and a business. You don’t set out to make the list; you focus on creating something meaningful and only then might the recognition follow.”
A debutant on the list, Au Jardin has been quietly redefining fine dining in Penang since 2018, merging the beauty of nature with French culinary artistry and a reverence for fresh, high-quality ingredients. Chef Kim Hock Su is honoured by the recognition.
Still, he believes Malaysia’s culinary narrative needs stronger, more cohesive storytelling. “We need to be more intentional, not just about what’s on the plate but why we cook the way we do,” he says. He stresses the importance of industry-wide collaboration.
“Restaurants, producers, media — everyone plays a role. Long-term support from stakeholders matters more than chasing seasonal hype. It’s about building an ecosystem that sustains creativity and excellence.”
Every dish that comes out of Au Jardin’s kitchen tells a story. Photo: Au Jardin.
Kim points to visibility as a persistent barrier. “There’s great talent here, but we don’t have the same media reach or PR infrastructure as our neighbours. Much of our work is sincere and heritage-driven, but it doesn’t always align with global expectations and that leads to it being overlooked.”
Our cuisine is multilayered and doesn’t always fit into neat categories, which makes it harder to interpret from the outside. “We need more voices to articulate those nuances globally,” shares the chef who is now working on Project Diaspora, a fine dining concept in the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, to further explore Nusantara and Peranakan roots through.
Cook Local, Think Global
Chef Raymond Tham. Photo: KARLS Group.
Chef Raymond Tham, the culinary maestro behind acclaimed establishments under KARLS Group like Beta KL, Skillet, Upperhouse and the newly opened Social Room and Rhea in Damansara Heights, agrees breaking into Asia’s 50 Best list remains a challenge for most local restaurants.
“A big part of it comes down to international exposure,” he says. “We don’t get the same visibility in global food media as cities like Bangkok or Shanghai. That means fewer international culinary tourists and less attention for the incredible work being done here.”
Raymond also believes we need to express the depth of our cuisine, its biodiversity, history and culture in a way that’s authentic and compelling. “It’s time to stop mimicking European or Japanese templates and instead develop a Malaysian fine dining language rooted in our own flavours and traditions.”
Chef Kim Hock Su. Photo: Au Jardin.
Ben Yong, CEO of The BIG Group and a well-travelled foodie, doesn’t shy away from calling it like he sees it when asked why more Malaysian restaurants haven’t made it onto Asia’s 50 Best list.
“Our cuisine is multilayered and doesn’t always fit into neat categories, which makes it harder to interpret from the outside. We need more voices to articulate those nuances globally.” –
CHEF KIM HOCK SU
“Yes, part of it is exposure – or the lack of it. We don’t have the lobbying muscle that are available for engagement, and it is usually prohibitively expensive,” he says. “But we also need to ask, do our restaurants genuinely deserve to be on that list? There are a few that absolutely do. And then there are some that think they do, but the food and service are subpar.”
Being on the list, he admits, can be “a steroid jab to the business”. He might not agree with every name on those lists but there’s no denying the exposure is great for those who make it.
For Malaysia to compete globally, Ben believes it’s about returning to the fundamentals. “Cook with integrity. Serve with heart. And use common sense,” he says. “There’s too much food out there with no soul, no thoughtfulness in the service. And not everything needs caviar or uni. We should take pride in our local produce.”
