It’s been quite a year for the two chefs, Lee Zhe Xi and Soh Yong Zhi, behind Eat and Cook. It was only in March that their 26-seat restaurant in Bukit Jalil received the American Express One To Watch Award 2022, as part of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 list. Eat and Cook was catapulted into the global culinary spotlight, and ever since Malaysia’s borders reopened, Lee and Soh have been busy cooking for a whole host of international and local diners, all eager to try their ‘omakase for local tongues’.
For those epicureans who haven’t yet been able to secure a coveted reservation at Eat and Cook, we have excellent news indeed. The chef duo will be the star attraction of the sixth and final instalment of The Datai Langkawi’s The Chef Series – 2022 on 6 and 7 October, crafting one of their magical culinary journeys around this year’s theme of ‘Eclectic Malaysia’. Given that Lee and Soh both thrive on creative freedom and unpredictability, their dinners at The Dining Room – priced at RM550 per person, RM650 with a non-alcoholic drink pairing or RM800 with wine pairing – promise to be anything but ordinary.
“We’re always trying to think out of the box with our ingredients and cooking styles,” Lee remarks, adding that he’ll be sourcing produce not only from Langkawi, but also Kuala Kedah and Alor Setar. “There are beautiful flavours in Kedah – their fragrant spices, family meals, hawker food and Thai-influenced elements all gel together. People in the north of Malaysia also take chilli very well, though we’ll thin the heat and bring out the fragrance of chilli instead of working on super-spicy food. We’ll do our best to bring Kedahan culture, memories and flavours into The Datai Langkawi’s menu for The Chef Series – 2022.”
