Eat and Cook in Kuala Lumpur was founded on an ideal of exploration into the largely unknown world of indigenous ingredients, flourishing on the richness of Malaysia's terroirs. About three years before opening Eat and Cook, co-founder Lee Zhe Xi had a profound encounter with a particular local Malaysian ingredient. At the time, his head chef from Argentina had purchased a seemingly rare nut-looking item from the local morning market. Gathering the team, he asked if anyone knew what that hard-shelled fruit was, but no one could answer.
Lee recalls, "My head chef called us out and said, "Shame on you. All of you know what truffles are, but not this?' It was then and there that we were invigorated to explore and learn all about our local ingredients and to tell our own Malaysian story." That hard-shelled fruit turned out to be buah kulim, a wild jungle garlic found deep in the tropical jungles of Malaysia. Today, buah kulim is popularly found on the menus of many modern Malaysian restaurants, known for its aromatic scent resembling truffles.
The Case for Local Ingredients
Lee reminisces about the early days of opening Eat and Cook in 2021, when he and Soh were both in their mid-20s — youthful, wide-eyed, and operating on a shoestring budget that accommodated fewer than 10 diners a night. "When we just started, the first place we went to where we knew we could find the freshest and most economical produce was the wet markets. We decided to start early in the morning at Selayang Pasar, one of the largest wet markets in the city. We woke up early in the morning and headed straight there, just to find out it was closed," Lee recalls candidly. It was then that they discovered Selayang Pasar opens later in the day and only does business on a wholesale scale. Despite not meeting the minimum purchase requirements, the young team became regulars of the market, forging fond relationships with the vendors and gaining priceless referrals to some of Malaysia's key producers, farmers, and fisheries. "It's all about building trust over time," Lee smiles with a twinkle in his eye.
To date, the Eat and Cook team have explored the many corners of Malaysia in search of prime suppliers — from navigating the small town of Bagan Datuk in Perak, to combing through the depths of the lush rainforests of Sarawak. "All except Kelantan, for now", notes Lee.
One time, the chefs spent nine days out at sea with local fishermen — they returned in need of another week to recover from seasickness. "When you learn the process of acquiring produce straight from the source, and the hard work that goes into it, it's really a humbling experience. Take fishing, for example. From the preparation work and ensuring they have the right fishing equipment, to driving five hours to reach the sea, and then heading and spending at least three days on water finding the right spot, catching the fish, and then sorting the fish before returning to land — it's incredibly challenging work; and yet, these fishermen don't earn much. This is something diners are often unaware of, and it fuels us to share these stories with them. We dive deeper into reading and learning about Malaysia's indigenous ingredients, the industry of produce, its history, and tracing them back their roots."
Sustainability as a Guiding Principle
From its inception, the menu at Eat and Cook is tailored to meet seasonal ingredients at their best. When asked about the pushback they face, both chefs responded without hesitation. "It is indeed very challenging, and we recognise that we are not 100% sustainable. Sustainability is one of our founding principles, and it all starts from the source, which already poses limitations of its own,” shares Lee. “Working with producers committed to full sustainability in their production is incredibly challenging due to the associated costs.
Nevertheless, we make every effort to collaborate with organic growers who employ diverse crop mixes to support environmental sustainability, including pollination and pest deterrence without resorting to chemical methods. This approach also helps maintain the balance of acidity and alkalinity in the soil.
When it comes to engaging with diners, the opportunity is there to reshape common perceptions and expectations with the dining experience, improving the chances for local ingredients to shine. This encourages diners to hopefully choose local ingredients to use in their households as well. When the community thrives, the entire industry flourishes," Soh adds.
Another one of Eat and Cook’s founding principles is to deliver a no-waste concept, as much as possible.
Lee shares, “We try our best to give trimmings new life, harnessing their intrinsic value to complement the textures and flavours of the dishes; this is one way to reduce food wastage. For example, the leeks our last menu were used in a soup and a chutney, and what was left was burnt to ashes as the garnish,” From ashes to ashes, literally speaking. For the chefs, their creative process involves tuning into nature, challenging themselves to think creatively about the use of discarded items — all in the name of championing the cause for sustainability.
"Lastly, we prioritise energy savings with technology for more efficient cooking methods. It's important to understand your yield and volume, and then to invest in the corresponding equipment, even if it entails higher initial costs — this can lead to significant savings in time and energy in the long run," Lee elaborates.
Every Dish is a Story Worth Telling
Going by a no-waste approach to cooking, the upcoming chapter of Eat and Cook shines the spotlight on its Curry Udang Gala (river prawn), sourced from the fishing villages of Pantai Remis, Sabah, and Kuala Selangor. The river prawn is lightly grilled, cooked just till halfway to preserve its sweet freshness. The prawn head, with its prized roe, is transformed into a sauce, while its shell is used to enhance the broth of the sauce and served with a yam croquette.
Teluk Intan, which is also Lee’s hometown, is renowned for Chee Cheong Fun (steamed rice flour roll) because of its smooth and velvety texture due to the town's high quality water sources. At Eat and Cook, instead of rice flour, the Chee Cheong Fun is made with blended cuttlefish before being lightly steamed, and then rolled with dried squid, shallots, and braised jicama sauce. It is served with a squid ink sauce cooked with organs and pickled green chilli, and then topped with sakura ebi.
Local Malaysian Ingredients Going Global
"It's all about storytelling and the experience in presenting our dishes to diners, persuading them to reconsider their perspectives on local produce, while igniting their curiosity about their endless potential," says Lee. “Restaurant guests are the majority buyers, not restaurants. If we can play our part in convincing them to try local ingredients, this encourages producers to improve and scale their production.” No wonder the chef’s kitchen counter here is dubbed "The Stage", offering diners an immersive expedition through Malaysia's vibrant food culture and heritage.
Lee and Soh’s culinary influence extend beyond Malaysia's borders. Since 2023, they have proudly represented Malaysia in chef collaborations and pop-ups in Singapore, Japan, India, and beyond. "Never did I imagine I'd be cooking Bak Kut Teh in Japan. International collaborations not only attract Malaysians abroad to seek out these ingredients; but also, hopefully, these collaborations inspire them to continue sharing our Malaysian stories, wherever they are." Lee exudes.
Eat and Cook is located at H6-1, Pusat Perdagangan Bandar Bukit Jalil, Persiaran Jalil 1, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, 57000, Malaysia. Book your table here.
Buah Keluak image was taken from Shutterstock; all other photos are courtesy of chef Lee Zhe Xi.
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