ESCA KHOO
CREATOR OF DALAM NUSANTARA AND HEAD CHEF AT MISS MI, MÖ VENPICK HOTEL, MELBOURNE
With his restaurant opening delayed due to lockdown, the head chef used the time to rediscover his heritage and reflect on the kind of chef and leader he wants to be.
This year in August I started the Dalam Nusantara in lockdown. It means “in the archipelago” and it’s an evolving pop-up restaurant where I explore the islands in between maritime Southeast Asia, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Borneo and New Guinea, through food.
I wanted to create a unique idea, one where I can work on dishes and develop them. I want to keep taking Asian food to a different perspective and continue diving deeper into the different rural and regional dishes, immersing myself in my roots. As a chef, you learn so much about French cooking techniques and Spanish cooking but I’ve never been taught Asian cooking. I didn’t realise how beautiful Borneo was until I became interested in cooking – I wasn’t aware that they had fermentation, or that they had their own way of foraging. Being from Borneo I feel I have a responsibility to share this. When people think of Borneo they think of rafflesia flowers or monkeys, but I also want to share its cuisine.
This year I’ve really tried to discover my purpose in life – the thing I always come back to is sharing happiness and also experiencing things for the first time in life. So that’s what I want to create for diners. If I can help them to discover a dish for the first time – whether seri muka (a steamed glutinous pandan rice cake), babi guling (Balinese roast pork) or rojak (spicy Malaysian fruit salad) – then I have done my job.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2021-Ausgabe von Gourmet Traveller.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 2021-Ausgabe von Gourmet Traveller.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
From personal experience
Former Hope St Radio chef ELLIE BOUHADANA invites you to gather your loved ones and enjoy an evening of good food and laughter with recipes from her new cookbook, Ellie's Table.
Kimberley Moulton
Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we applaud the international curator and Yorta Yorta woman who is shining a light on First Peoples.
Tom Wallace
We share a drop with the head winemaker for Devil's Corner, Tamar Ridge and Pirie Sparkling, a master of cool-climate grapes.
Best in class
The top drops to keep an eye out for on wine lists (and why they're worth the splurge)
A taste of refuge
Fleeing war and persecution, Australia's new arrivals push our food culture forward. DANI VALENT explores the contributions of the country's refugee communities.
BE OUR GUEST
Inspired by the sense of place conjured by Europe's Michelin-star restaurants, local restaurateurs are expanding their hospitality remit to include accommodation
Barcelona BUZZ
A popular drawcard for digital nomads and expats alike, the Catalonian capital offers equal parts sophistication and fun. Here, DANI VALENT discovers the latest dining hotspots.
HEATHCOTE BOUND
MICHAEL HARDEN hits the road to explore regional Victoria's Heathcote, home to this year's Best Destination Dining and a host of other delights.
The art of...relishing restaurants
Does working in hospitality make someone a better or worse diner
HEART AND SOUL
Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.