A Food Affair – Kita Food Festival

A FOOD AFFAIR SEPT 7

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A full-day of food events, including masterclasses on cooking and wine and butchery, talks, panel discussions and a vibrant artisanal marketplace. An evolution of Kita Conversations, this year A Food Affair widens its audience base to appeal to not only F&B industry, but food lovers too.

Kita Conversations

Kita Conversations hosts keynote speeches and fireside chats by top chefs, food producers, and visionary restaurateurs sharing challenges and trends in the Food & Beverage industry. Sessions are designed to foster a dynamic and interactive environment, encouraging active audience participation and sparking an ongoing dialogue about the future of food.

Kita Conversations KL 2024 line up:

Jimmy Ophorst
The Power of Place: Building a Culinary Legacy Through Local Community

Vanika Choudhary
Forgotten, Foraged and Fermented: Ancient Indian Techniques

Su Kim Hock
Where Have All the Sous Chefs Gone? Navigating the Restaurant Labor Crunch

Lee Fordham
The Future of Food – Preparing for Menu 2034

Ben Devlin
Utilising the Whole Squid

Dr. David Neo
Cooking Like Our Mothers: A Lost Art? The Importance of Maintaining Our Tradition

Suzanne Ling
A Recipe for Social Change: The Impact of PichaEats

PANEL DISCUSSION:
Su Kim Hock
Dr. David Neo
Louis Tikaram
Authenticity and Appropriating Culture. Do you have to be a Penangite to cook Penang food?

Date: 7 September 2024
Time: 10 AM to 12:30 PM | 2:30 PM to 5 PM, followed by cocktail hour

Venue: Level 3, The Toffee (2 Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur)

Tickets: RM78.00 per pax, including access to a networking hour with free flow of drinks

Supported by:

About the speakers

Ben Devlin is the owner and chef of Pipit Restaurant in Northern New South Wales, Australia. After cutting his teeth at restaurants such as Noma in Copenhagen and Paper Daisy in NSW, Ben opened Pipit, where he combines his global expertise with the local charm of his homeland and native Australian bush foods growing in the Tweed region of NSW. Pipit has been awarded two chefs hats and won Best Regional Restaurant from the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.

Ben Devlin

Vanika Choudhary is a leading figure in modern Indian cooking and an expert in ancient fermentation techniques from the sub continent. She has hosted residencies worldwide, including at Green Michelin Starred Silo in London and with Jeong Kwan in Korea. In May 2024, she closed her Mumbai restaurant, Noon, to focus on researching traditional cooking methods from Jammu & Kashmir, collaborating with female teams and farmers' collectives. Vanika was recognized as ‘Talent of the Year 2024’ by La Liste.

Vanika Choudhary

Chef Su Kim Hock is a Malaysian chef celebrated for his innovative approach that incorporates local flavours with French cooking techniques. Kim Hock honed his culinary skills in the UK and Taiwan before returning to Malaysia to open Au Jardin in Penang, a small restaurant which showcases local artisanal farmers and producers. Au Jardin has one Michelin star. Kim Hock was named Tatler Dining Malaysia's Chef of the Year in 2023.

Su Kim Hock

Jimmy Ophorst, Executive Chef of PRU in Phuket, is a pioneering force in Thailand’s farm-to-table movement. Originally from the Netherlands, Jimmy moved to Phuket in 2016 to lead Trisara’s kitchen team. PRU earned Phuket’s first Michelin star in 2018 and a Michelin Green Star in 2021 for its sustainability efforts. The restaurant emphasises minimal environmental impact, showcasing Thailand's biodiversity and rare local ingredients.

Jimmy Orphorst

Louis Tikaram began his culinary journey with his Fijian-Chinese grandmother, developing an appreciation for fresh, locally sourced ingredients at his family’s farm in Mullumbimby, Australia. Louis worked at both Tetsuya's and Longrain in Sydney, where he earned "2014 Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year." Louis later led E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood in the USA before returning to Australia as head chef of Stanley in Brisbane. Louis has appeared on various TV shows such as Masterchef AU and ABC’s The Cook Up with Adam Liaw.

Louis Tikaram

David Neo is a distinguished lecturer in Cultural and Film Studies at the Department of Digital and Imaging Arts, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), and serves as the Programme Leader of Intangible Cultural Heritage with UNESCO. His culinary journey began in his teenage years, learning the rich traditions of Nonya cuisine from his grandmother and aunts. After spending over two decades in the West, he has returned to Asia to make significant academic contributions to the Peranakan culture that has profoundly shaped his identity.

Dr David Neo (UiTM)

Masterclasses

A series of in-depth masterclasses offering culinary professionals and food enthusiasts a rare opportunity to learn from the best.

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*This Masterclass is full.

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Marketplace

The Marketplace is a vibrant showcase of some of Malaysia’s top artisanal food and beverage producers: An opportunity to discover new tastes, support small businesses, and engage directly with producers and artisans.

Vendors will include Dewar’s, MKN, Feeka Coffee Roasters, Wonderbrew, Paper Kite Beer, Oylhaus, MU Artisan Soy Sauce, Secai Marche, Gin Malaya, Baska Premium Deli, Masaru Knives, HONESTFARMS, and Cap Bunga Rose.

A FOOD AFFAIR SEPT 7

Conversations

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Masterclass

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Marketplace

A full-day of food events, including masterclasses on cooking and wine and butchery, talks, panel discussions and a vibrant artisanal marketplace. An evolution of Kita Conversations, this year A Food Affair widens its audience base to appeal to not only F&B industry, but food lovers too.

Kita Conversations

About the speakers

Ben Devlin

Vanika Choudhary

Su Kim Hock

Jimmy Orphorst

Louis Tikaram

Dr David Neo (UiTM)

Masterclasses

View more info

View more info

View more info

*This Masterclass is full.

View more info

View more info

View more info

View more info

Marketplace

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