TIDES OF CHANGE

ESCA KHOO

CREATOR OF DALAM NUSANTARA AND HEAD CHEF AT MISS MI, MÖ VENPICK HOTEL, MELBOURNE

With his restaurant opening delayed due to lockdown, the head chef used the time to rediscover his heritage and reflect on the kind of chef and leader he wants to be.

This year in August I started the Dalam Nusantara in lockdown. It means “in the archipelago” and it’s an evolving pop-up restaurant where I explore the islands in between maritime Southeast Asia, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Borneo and New Guinea, through food.

I wanted to create a unique idea, one where I can work on dishes and develop them. I want to keep taking Asian food to a different perspective and continue diving deeper into the different rural and regional dishes, immersing myself in my roots. As a chef, you learn so much about French cooking techniques and Spanish cooking but I’ve never been taught Asian cooking. I didn’t realise how beautiful Borneo was until I became interested in cooking – I wasn’t aware that they had fermentation, or that they had their own way of foraging. Being from Borneo I feel I have a responsibility