Photo credit: Bob Wong. Composite: IGA
“When you have something good and add something else good, you have something great,” says Junda Khoo. The celebrated Australian-Malaysian chef and restaurateur uses this culinary equation to reimagine classic dishes for modern tastes. His talent for innovation, deeply rooted in tradition, is fuelled by a passion for bringing people together.
Recalling his grandmother’s “pulling power” in gathering the extended family around the table with comforting meals, Khoo sees cooking for loved ones as an act of service. “I like to provide a service. I always say that my restaurants are family spaces; I cook food that brings people to the table. I picked up quite a few things from my grandmother.”
