In the first instalment of our new series, A Taste of Home, Malaysia-born, San Francisco-based chef Zoee Wong reveals her favourite places to eat and drink when she’s in Malaysia
Beginning with boxed cake mixes at the age of nine, Zoee Wong's experiments in the kitchen keep increasing in ambition and scale, taking her from one renowned restaurant to the next, including Nobu Kuala Lumpur, Saison (USA), Ed.ju Omakase, Blackwattle (Singapore), Nouri (Singapore) and Birdsong (USA), where she is currently attached to.
We chat with the worldly tastemaker about missing Malaysia, going from serving a 15-course menu to handling a fried chicken takeout, and more.
What do you miss most on the food and drinks front when you are away from Malaysia?
Where to begin? I've been incredibly lucky to have lived in cities with amazing food scenes in their own right. Although nothing will ever tap into your taste memories or evoke the same sense of comfort as strongly as the food you grew up with.
I miss our joo hu char and stewed mushrooms (family recipes, of course), my grandfather’s yee sang over Chinese New Year, and kaya toast with a cup of Kopi O 'kosong' from the kopitiams. And as much as I love going to markets and cooking, I miss knowing that my mum has stocked the fridge and planned meals for me—showing love through food runs deep in our family.
What is the first dish you eat when you return and where do you go for it?
It’s usually something home-cooked. But one of the first meals out is cili pan mee from Super Kitchen.