The Kita Food Festival is back, with a stellar lineup that is crossing states and borders. In addition to Penang and Kuala Lumpur, this year sees the addition of Kuching, a state that doesn’t get as much time in the sun as it should deserve, as well as the gastronomic city of Singapore. This year also sees the expansion of the Kita Conversations which will be held both in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Here’s the complete rundown including the lineup of who is visiting, collaborations, takeovers and prices for events.
What Is The Kita Food Festival?
The Kita Food Festival was started in 2018 which aimed to bring together chefs and culinary minds across South East Asia, with a focus on growing gastro-tourism and gourmet travelling. But this festival is so much more than that, it’s also about fostering community and collaboration, breaking boundaries between industries, part educational, with a whole load of food fun. In addition to a series of fine dining and fine casual collaboration dinners, one Great Mezze and two Sunday Barbecues, the Kita Conversations will be a ted-talk like event bringing together some of the brightest minds in culinary. Timeline-wise, events will kick off in Kuching, then Penang followed by Singapore and finally in Kuala Lumpur.
KUCHING
Anthony Yeoh (Summer Hill, Singapore) x John Lim (Roots Bistronomy, Kuching)
Four Hands Dinner
The casual dining dinner will be a collaboration between Chef John Lim of Roots Bistronomy and Chef Anthony Yeoh of Summer Hill Singapore.
Date: Wednesday, 27th September 2023
Price: RM350.00 per person
Venue: Roots Bistronomy
Address: The Old Court House Kuching, Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Book Summer Hill x Roots Bistronomy
PENANG
Vaughan Mabee (Amisfield, Queenstown) x Kim Hock Su (Au Jardin, Penang)
Four Hands Dinner
New Zealand’s Vaughan Mabee, Masterchef judge and Chef of the Year, from Amisfield in Otago New Zealand 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.
Date: Friday, 13th October 2023
Price: RM750.00 per person
Venue: Restaurant Au Jardin
Address: 125, Jalan Timah, 10150 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Book Amisfield x Au Jardin
Hans Christian (August, Jakarta) X Johnson Wong (Gēn 根, Penang)
Four Hands Dinner
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, a restaurant known for its modern Malaysian cuisine.
Date: Friday & Saturday, 13th & 14th October 2023
Price: RM550.00 per person
Venue: Gēn Penang
Address: Unit 6, 8, Gat Lebuh Gereja, Georgetown, 10300 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Book August x Gen
Malcolm Lee (Candlenut, Singapore) At Communal Table By Gēn 根, Penang
Kitchen Takeover
Singapore’s Malcolm Lee from one-Michelin star Candlenut will take over the kitchen at Communal Table by GĒN for a one-off dinner.
Date: Saturday, 14th October 2023
Price: RM380.00 per person
Venue: Communal Table by Gēn
Address: 68, Lebuh Presgrave, 10300 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Book Candlenut x Communal Table by Gen
The Great Mezze
Mezze
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 China House with great cocktails, craft beers, natural wines and a DJ. Chefs include: –
- Mathijs Nanne of Suffolk House and Mohamed Al Matin of Le Matin Patisserie.
- Nurilkarim Razha of Jawi House and Eugene See of Birds of a Feather.
- CC Lee of Juju Lounge and MJ Teoh of Native.
- Wagyu Tan of Communal Table by Gēn and Malcolm Lee of Candlenut.
Date: Sunday, 15th October 2023
Price: RM380.00 per person
Venue: China House
Address: 153, Beach St, Georgetown, 10300 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Book The Great Mezze Penang
SINGAPORE
Prateek Sadhu (India) X Michael Wilson (Marguerite, Singapore)
Four Hands Dinner
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.
Date: Thursday & Friday, 19th & 20th October 2023
Price: SGD328.00 per person
Venue: Marguerite
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Dr, #01 09, Singapore 018953
Book Prateek Sadhu x Marguerite
Anissa Helou (London) x Mirko Febbrile (Fico, Singapore)
Four Hands Lunch & Dinner
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.
Date: Friday, 20th October 2023
Price: SGD118.00 per person for lunch; SGD168.00 per person for dinner
Venue: Fico Masseria
Address: 1300 East Coast Parkway, East Coast Park Area F, Singapore 468964
Book Anissa Helou x Fico
Matt Stone (Mosey On Inn, Australia) x Peter Smit (Underdog Inn, Singapore)
Four Hands Dinner
Australian chefs Matt Stone from Mosey on Inn and author of The Natural Cook, along with Pete Smit from Underdog Inn will combine their unique Aussie talents to create lunch and dinner feasting menus across two days.
Date: Friday & Saturday, 20th & 21st October 2023
Price: SGD150.00 per person
Venue: Underdog Inn
Address: 01-03 115 Amoy Street, Gemmill Ln, Along, Singapore 069935
Book Mosey On Inn x Underdog Inn
Deepanker Khosla (Hoama, Bangkok) x Ivan Brehm (Nouri, Singapore) x Hafizzul Hashim (Fiz, Singapore)
Six Hands Dinner
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.
Date: Friday & Saturday, 20th & 21st October 2023
Price: SGD 328.00 per person
Venue: Fiz
Address: 21 Tg Pagar Rd, #01-01/02, Singapore 088444
Book Haoma x Nouri x Fiz
Ross Magnaye (Serai, Melbourne) x John Kevin Navoa (Hapag, Manila) x Kurt Sombero (Kubo, Singapore)
Six Hands Lunch & Dinner
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.
Date: Saturday, 21st October 2023
Price: SGD142.00 per person
Venue: Kubo
Address: 80 Mohamed Sultan Rd, #01-12 The Pier at Robertson, Singapore 239013
Book Serai x Hapag x Kubo
Big Sunday Barbecue, Singapore
Multi Chef Communal Cook-Up
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 of Fool Wine Bar Singapore.
- David Tang of Rosemead Singapore.
- Matteo Ponti of Braci Singapore.
- Al Goh of RVLT Singapore.
- Son Pham of Sonny’s Pizza Singapore.
- Ahmir Arshad of Wildcard Singapore.
Date: Sunday, 22nd October 2023
Price: TBD
Venue: TBD
Address: TBD
Book Big Sunday Barbecue Singapore
Kita Conversations, Singapore
Talks
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 South East Asia. Speakers include: –
- Anissa Helou, London-based chef, teacher and author who specialises in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and North African cuisines.
- Matt Orlando, the American-born, Danish based chef and owner of restaurant Amass, and leader in the sustainable food movement.
- Prateek Sadhu, Indian chef.
- Khir Johari, author of ‘The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through the Archipelago’ specialises in Malay history and how food has played a part in shaping Singapore Malay culture.
- Matt Stone, arguably the leading sustainable chef in Australian dining and author of ‘The Natural Cook’.
- Dr. Farshad Shishehchian from Blue Aqua, a pioneer in inland aquaculture and the inventor of Mixotrophic system, a super-intensive but fully sustainable shrimp and fish farming system.
- Nithiya Laila, presenter of ‘Edible Wild’ on Channel News Asia which shows how netizens in Asia’s megacities grow, forage and cook with indigenous ingredients.
- Will Goldfarb, chef, author and guest chef on Netflix’s Chef’s Table and also known as the World’s Best Pastry Chef from Ubud’s Room4Dessert.
- Deepanker Khosla of Haoma, Bangkok.
Date: Monday, 23rd October 2023
Price: TBD
Venue: TBD
Address: TBD
Book Kita Conversations Singapore
KUALA LUMPUR
Julien Mercier (Claudine, Singapore) X Masashi Horiuchi (Entier, Kuala Lumpur)
Four Hands Dinner
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.
Date: Thursday, 26th October 2023
Price: RM660.00 per person
Venue: Entier
Address: Level 41 at Alila Bangsar No 58, Jalan Ang Seng, Brickfields, 50470 WP Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Book Claudine x Entier
Chele Gonzalez (Gallery by Chele, Manila) x Sergio Meza (Mano, Kuala Lumpur)
Four Hands Dinner
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.
Date: Friday, 27th October 2023
Price: RM299.00 per person
Venue: Mano
Address: E-1-03, The Five, Kompleks Pejabat Damansara, Bukit Damansara, 50490 WP Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Book Gallery by Chele x Mano
René Stein (Tisane, Nuremberg) x Darren Teoh (Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur)
Four Hands Dinner
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.
Date: Friday & Saturday, 27th & 28th October 2023
Price: RM1,100.00 per person
Venue: Dewakan
Address: Level 48, Skyviews, Naza Tower @ Platinum Park, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 WP Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Book Tisane x Dewakan
Fukuyama Goh (Goh, Fukuoka) x Shaun Ng (Hide, Kuala Lumpur)
Four Hands Dinner
Sharing a penchant for French inspired omakase but drawing ingredients from their homelands, chefs Takeshi ‘Goh’ Fukuyama from La Maison de la Nature 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.
Date: Friday & Saturday, 27th & 28th October 2023
Price: RM950.00 per person
Venue: Hide
Address: Concourse, Ritz-Carlton Residences, 105, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, 50450 WP Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Book Goh x Hide
Keiko Kuwakino (Satoyama Jujo, Niigata) and Lroy Lim (Ignis, Kuala Lumpur)
Sake pairing by Danny Leong (The Saké Place, Kuala Lumpur)
Four Hands Dinner
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.
Date: Saturday, 28th October 2023
Price: RM300.00 per person
Venue: Ignis
Address: G-02A, Ground Level, The Sphere, No. 1, Avenue 1, Bangsar South City, 8, Jalan Kerinchi, Bangsar South, 59200 WP Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Book Satoyama Jujo x Ignis x The Sake Place
Big Sunday Barbecue Kuala Lumpur
Multi Chef Communal Cook-Up
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: –
- Mohammed Eliyaz of Nadodi and Jovan Goh of Kotuwa Singapore.
- Michael Yee of Chipta11a and Oliver Truesdale-Justra of Lo & Behold Singapore.
- Leong Chee Mun of Raw Kitchen Hall Carlos Montobbio of Esquina Singapore.
- Mandy Goh of ATAS and David Tang of Humpback Singapore.
Date: Sunday, 29th October 2023
Price: TBD
Venue: TBD
Address: TBD
Book Big Sunday Barbecue Kuala Lumpur
Kita Conversations Kuala Lumpur
Talks
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: –
- David Thompson, owner/chef of numerous restaurants including Long Chim Perth, Long Chim Sydney, Aaharn Hong Kong and Aksorn Bangkok.
- Diana Chan, Malaysian born, Australian resident chef and Masterchef winner.
- Khir Johari, author of ‘The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through the Archipelago’ specialises in Malay history and how food has played a part in shaping Singapore Malay culture.
- Moustafa Elrefaey, Egyptian born chef from Zooba restaurant group.
- Nithiya Laila, presenter of ‘Edible Wild’ on Channel News Asia which shows how netizens in Asia’s megacities grow, forage and cook with indigenous ingredients.
- Chele Gonzalez, chef from Gallery by Chele Philippines.
- Benjamin Lephilibert, sustainability expert and founder of Light Blue and food waste hacker.
- Eric Olmedo, food anthropologist.
- Oliver Trusdale-Jutras, Canadian chef from Lo & Behold in Singapore.
Date: Monday, 30th October 2023
Price: TBD
Venue: Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPAC)
Address: S611, Second Floor, 1 Utama E, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Book Kita Conversations Kuala Lumpur
“We have a bumper line-up and schedule of events being rolled out this year. None would be possible without the generosity and faith of our partners, including the Singapore Tourism Board, French porcelain company Legle, San Pellegrino, The House of Suntory, the two wonderful boutique hotels – Else in Kuala Lumpur and The Edison George Town in Penang – plus the fine people from PJPAC”. — Leisa Tyler, Co-Founder of Kita Food Festival.
| PHOTOGRAPHY: KITA FOOD FESTIVAL | WEBSITE: KITA FOOD FESTIVAL |