Malaysian chef Philip Leong is driving Nobu KL

Philip Leong is the head chef and guiding force behind Nobu KL.

Small-town lad Philip Leong is about to find himself rocketed to the city’s top chefs league as head of KL’s first celebrity chef restaurant. Can he take the heat?

Opening day is looming large and the atmosphere at Nobu Kuala Lumpur is tense. The staff are halfway through their rigorous six-week training course and today’s programme – a cross between a pep rally and a pop quiz – has stirred up some last-minute anxiety.