KITA FOOD FESTIVAL 2024: THE FULL LINEUP OF CULINARY EVENTS SET TO TAKE KUALA LUMPUR BY STORM

New events added for a jam-packed KL Weekender in September

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 29 JULY 2024 – Kita Food Festival will make its highly-anticipated return to Kuala Lumpur from September 4 – 8, bringing together some of the biggest names in the culinary scene from across the region. Whether it's an exciting Four-Hands Dinner, a uniquely curated Kitchen Takeover, or a Masterclass from world-class experts, there will be something for everyone at this year's festival. 

The KL Weekender will see some of the region's finest chefs pop up in restaurants around the Klang Valley, bringing to life narratives that explore true farm-to-table relationships, modernisations of local cuisine, and even the fusion of different cultures and local produce. Below is the full lineup of Four-Hands Dinners and Kitchen Takeovers happening in Malaysia:

September 4 & 5

• Jimmy Ophorst of PRU (Phuket, Thailand), Phuket's first and only restaurant to have a Michelin star that it has retained since 2018, will be doing a four-hands dinner alongside Masashi Horiuchi at Potager. Touted as the “inspiring voice of change”, Ophorst continues to lead the farm-to-table movement in Thailand through PRU, and was recognised for his efforts when the restaurant was awarded the first and only Michelin Green Star in Thailand.

September 5 & 6

• Ben Devlin of Pipit in Pottsville (New South Wales, Australia), recognised as a Regional Restaurant of the Year finalist in Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food Guide 2023, will run a Kitchen Takeover at Yellow Fin Horse, Else Kuala Lumpur, featuring native Australian bush foods like bunya nuts, lemon myrtle, Dorrigo pepper and dried pipis cooked with Malaysian-grown produce. The menu will be plant-forward and meat-free, with seafood used in the garums and preserves. An optional whisky pairing for the menu on September 5 will be available featuring Royal Brackla core range to complement the meal.
• Johnson Ebenezer of Farmlore (Bangalore, India), which was recognised as Best Earth-Friendly Restaurant at the NDTV Food Awards 2024 and 2023's Best Restaurant in South India by the ET Hospitality Awards, will be doing a four-hands dinner alongside Shaun Ng of HIDE. The menu has been designed to take guests on a culinary journey of provenance around Malaysia with each course spotlighting a high-quality ingredient from ethical producers around the nation.

September 6

• Prin Polsuk of one-Michelin star restaurant and #29 on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2024, Samrub Samrub Thai(Bangkok, Thailand) will be bringing Southern Thai Fisherman cuisine to Raw, Else Kuala Lumpur, promising a unique casual dinner that reflects the food security, diversity, and community-driven cuisine of the Island natives of the Southern Thai gulf. For those wanting to add a kick to their meal can opt for the Royal Brackla whisky pairing option. 

September 6 & 7

• Hans Christian of August (Jakarta, Indonesia), #46 on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, returns to Kita Food Festival to spotlight the emerging trend of New Nusantara cuisine at Akâr Dining alongside Aidan Low.
• Louis Tikaram – 2014's “Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year" as awarded by the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide who is known for his innovative fusion of Fijian, Chinese and global culinary influences – ofStanley (Brisbane, Australia) will be bringing his take on Modern Chinese comfort food to Fifty Tales. Guests will have the option to add on a Royal Brackla whisky pairing to complement their meal, only available on 7 September.

September 7

• Christophe Lerouy, Chef Patron of one-Michelin Star Lerouy (Singapore), will cook alongside Masashi Horiuchi at Entier.

On September 7, Kita Food Festival will debut A Food Affair at The Toffee on Jalan Raja Chulan. This full-day event will feature keynote speakers and fireside talks by regional food experts, interactive food and wine masterclasses, as well as a vibrant marketplace with artisan products from around Malaysia. The stellar lineup of keynote presentations, masterclasses and markets include:

• Keynote speakers:
  • Su Kim Hock, chef-proprietor of one-Michelin Star restaurant, Au Jardin, who will address the topic of staff shortages in his talk: Where Have All the Sous Chefs Gone? Navigating the Restaurant Labor Crunch
  • Ben Devlin of Pipit (NSW, Australia) will be showcasing how to make use of every part of a squid.
  • Vanika Choudhary of Noon (Mumbai, India) will be sharing her knowledge on ancient Indian fermentation techniques.
  • Dr David Neo, a lecturer in Cultural and Film Studies at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), who is also the Programme Leader of Intangible Cultural Heritage with UNESCO who has contributed academically to Peranakan culture(s) that have significantly shaped him. He will be discussing the Chitty Peranakan Food Culture.
  • There will also be talks from Michelin-starred chefs Jimmy Ophorst and Ivan Brehm

• Masterclasses:
  • Pete Smit from Dirty Supper (Singapore) will be running a masterclass on Nose to Tail: How to butcher a whole goat, making the most of every part of an animal and every cut
  • Wong Yin How, who is the founding secretary of the Sommelier Association of Malaysia (Somlay) and the first Asian recipient of the AXA Millésimes Scholarship – which offers scholars hands-on experience at vineyards in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Languedoc, Douro and Tokaji – will be hosting a masterclass on French wine and cheeses. Wong is also an established restaurateur best known for his restaurants, Vintry and Proof 

• Marketplace:
  • Prin Polsuk of Samrub Samrub Thai (Bangkok, Thailand) will be cooking up bite-sized dishes featuring Samrub Samrub Thai's signature pastes on MKN equipment, showcasing the intense flavours of his native cuisine.
  • In addition, there will be multiple artisanal producers, plus food and drinks to both buy and sample.

As part of the Kita Food Festival tradition, the Big Sunday Barbecue will wrap up the KL Weekender on September 8, with exciting tag teams behind the grill:

• Pete Smit of Dirty Supper (Singapore) will be teaming up with Ignis (Kuala Lumpur)
• Su Kim Hock of one-Michelin star Au Jardin (Penang) will team up with two-Michelin Star Dewakan (Malaysia)
• Vanika Choudhary of Noon (India) will partner with Nadodi (Kuala Lumpur)
• Home cook internet sensation Anis Nabilah (Malaysia) will be cooking alongside SAJ Bistronomy by Leen's (Kuala Lumpur)

Tickets for the events in Kuala Lumpur will go on sale on the Kita Food Festival website on 31 July for Kita subscribers, and 1 August for the general public. 

Kita Food Festival returns this year for its fourth instalment and will be hosting events in Kuala Lumpur this year, followed by Singapore from January to March 2025. Driven by its passion for the industry and dedication to innovation, Kita Food Festival continues to lead the charge towards a more connected and sustainable future for food and beverage in Southeast Asia through education and cultivating appreciation. 

This year, Kita Food Festival is supported by its partners and sponsors: Else Hotel as the chef hub for the KL Weekender, kitchen equipment specialists MKN, Single Malt Scotch Whisky brand Royal Brackla, FunNow as the official ticketing partner, and multi-cuisine dining destination Artisan's Playground by COOKHOUSE. 

As one of the sponsors for this year's Kita Food Festival KL Weekender, Else Hotel is offering a Kita Dinner and Room package for guests attending the Kitchen Takeovers at Yellow Fin Horse or Raw:

• Raw Kitchen Takeover and 1-Night Room Stay (RM 1,012 nett): Inclusive of dinner for two at Prin Polsuk's (Samrub Samrub Thai, Bangkok) Kitchen Takeover at Raw, a one-night stay for two in a Mantra Room at Else Kuala Lumpur, breakfast for two and two complimentary cocktails from Raw.
• Yellow Fin Horse Kitchen Takeover and 1-Night Room Stay (RM 1,244 nett): Inclusive of dinner for two at Ben Devlin's (Pipit, NSW Australia) Kitchen Takeover at Yellow Fin Horse, a one-night stay for two in a Mantra Room at Else Kuala Lumpur, breakfast for two and two complimentary cocktails from Raw.

For more information on Kita Food Festival and to stay up-to-date on the latest news and announcements, visit www.kitafoodfestival.com and follow Kita Food Festival on Facebook and Instagram. 

The full Kita Food Festival Media Kit can be accessed here.

-ENDS-

Note to Editors:

About Kita Food Festival

Kita Food Festival (KFF) is more than an annual culinary event - it is an exploration and celebration of food in Southeast Asia that brings together some of the region's leading chefs and culinary minds. The event was created to put Southeast Asia on the gastro-tourism map by spotlighting chefs, producers, flavours and food innovators through a series of curated dinners, collaborative cook-ups, symposiums and mentorship programmes. Kita Food Festival aims to provide yearly events in Malaysia and Singapore that bring like-minded people together, allowing them to expand their palate and knowledge of food and drinks. The festival was also created to give career opportunities and inspire and connect culinary professionals.

For media inquiries or interview requests, kindly contact:

Donna Campbell

Campbell PR

Email: donna@campbellpr.com