THE GOURMET TRAVELLER

The city’s savvy foodies have long heard whispers of a second Cilantro in the making. Not in KL, mind you, but in Sydney, Australia. And why not? For Malaysia’s culinary czar Tan Boon Lee, who’s also the CEO of Tan & Tan Developments Berhad and Executive Director of IGB Corporation, it makes perfect sense as he considers the vibrant city to be his “second home”. On the decision to expand in Sydney, Tan says: “We had the perfect reason to open there, by virtue of our new property, the Tank Stream Hotel, which also needed a restaurant.” Deciding upon Le Petit Flot, whose name means ‘little ripples’ or ‘stream’ in French, tying in with the name of the hotel as well as its location perfectly (the area is known locally as Tank Stream, a fresh water tributary of Sydney Cove), the development of the restaurant has been overseen by Takashi Kimura, the iconic chef behind Cilantro, arguably Malaysia’s finest, most consistent longstanding dining room.

“The cooking philosophy has always been the same, across the board, in all of Chef Takashi’s restaurants,” says Tan. “What might differ in the Sydney experience is the dining concept, which steers more towards casual dining, large communal tables and mains that are designed to be shared, thus creating a stronger, more rustic French experience. The Tank Stream area was where the convicts who’d arrived dug their first fresh water well and, till today, there are guided tours for people to visit below the hotel area to see where the stream still flows. It’s a very central location!”

Certainly, as anyone who has ever dined at Cilantro or Sage will tell you, ingredients will, naturally, take on the starring role at Le Petit Flot. “We are going very bold this time with the sharing concept, with straightforward plate-ups and garnishes on the side, which may seem stark and overly simple to some, at first glance. But, likewise, it leaves the chefs with no room for error and nothing with which to mask ‘mistakes’. I also find food tastes better if served in larger, thicker portions, with bone in, and I think it’s fun and more inclusive for guests to do some of the plating themselves,” he adds.

Given Sydney’s reputation as a gourmet capital and the hotel’s central location, Le Petit Flot is certain to attract the city’s corporate clientele as well as its new generation of foodies, spenders and trendsetters. It also helps that Australian produce counts itself among the world’s best, giving Chef Takashi and team a cornucopia of good things to choose from. “We emphasise the use of local and seasonal ingredients, sourcing sustainable produce from good suppliers, while Chef Takashi has established strong ties and a good friendship with longstanding family businesses, like Victor Churchill, De Costi’s and artisanal baker, Sonoma,” adds Jun Wong, a talented Cilantro alumnus who’ll be taking up the position of Head Chef at Le Petit Flot.

Although Sydney will take up quite a bit of Tan’s attention these few months, he’s also busy with his other favourite destination: Japan. “My wife, Su Ming, and I will be opening our new Eco-Lodge in Niseko, Hokkaido, on 25 November. It’s a 175-bed budget accommodation, about 800m away from the Lawson’s in Hirafu,” he laughs. “Perfect for the budget-conscious skier!” When not expanding his empire, Tan enjoys discovering new gourmet destinations, his current favourite being Kanazawa, about two and a half hours by Shinkansen from Tokyo. “I’ll also be checking out Hakodate in Hokkaido when the bullet train starts going there next year.” And, when asked if he expects any ‘ripples’ from Le Petit Flot to reach his establishments in Kuala Lumpur, Tan shrugs and says: “There will be little impact. Firstly, consider the geographical distance. Secondly, much thought is put into every single establishment before opening. Just as there can only be one Cilantro, one Sage and one Ri-Yakitori, there will only be one Le Petit Flot.”