Joon shows how the eels and chickens are aged. — Photo: ALICE YONG
We know it’s way past June but Joon Dining beckoned us, especially since it was touted as one of the best new casual dining restaurants for 2022 by some food sites.
Sharing space with other hip eateries in an unlikely warehouse area, Joon Dining is located at B. Land in Petaling Jaya, spearheaded by the same people behind Rare The Food Company. There, we met up with the talented 43-year-old chef Tyrell Joon who made a name for himself cooking up a storm at the much-lauded Les Amis and Iggy’s restaurants in the Lion City.
Hailing from Lenggong in Perak, Joon’s culinary interest was piqued from an early age when he learned the basics of cooking from his grandmother.
“My grandmother was employed as a cook by a private company and was responsible for preparing the staff meals,” he says.
After completing his secondary school education, he started as a commis chef with Swiss Merchant Court in Singapore. During his two-year stint there, he also learned some garde manger skills – preparing cold food such as salads, cold cuts, terrines and appetisers – before moving to join the hotel’s coffeehouse team, cooking local and western fare for buffets. He later sought greener pastures at The Fullerton Hotel.
After two years, he left to join Au Jardin by Les Amis, a highly acclaimed contemporary French restaurant, followed by a stint at the one-Michelin starred Iggy’s.
Joon’s preference for modern French cuisine soon prompted his return to Les Amis. This time he stayed six years as the restaurant’s sous chef.
“I was amazed at the wide variety of premium ingredients a fine restaurant like Les Amis uses. It can afford to pay top dollar for the world’s best quality and in-season ingredients to be delivered and prepared for its menu. Here, everyone is a specialist in what they do. Things have to be done precisely and to perfection every single day.”
Having been trained in quality and consistency, Joon also acquired a knack for transforming simple everyday fare into fanciful dishes. For instance, his mushroom soup isn’t just mere soup but elevated into creamy mushroom cappucino, accented with sublime truffle oil. He’s also famed for his Vongole Pasta, which is offered at his restaurant.
His wealth of experience expanded further when he joined Justin Quek’s restaurant team in China. Although he treasured the experiences gleaned from travelling to Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai, Joon realised the Chinese market had yet to acquire an appreciation for Western fine-dining.
“They still preferred to eat dishes done their own way, so it was difficult to introduce European cuisine. For example, they wanted their meats well done and pasta cooked until soft. Pasta cooked al dente would be sent back because to them, it was not properly cooked.
“But I love exploring the fresh markets there. The vast array of spices, fruits and native produce available was mind-boggling,” he says.
He returned to Malaysia during the Covid-19 pandemic. When the Rare Food Company proposed to open Joon Dining, he jumped at the opportunity. Having worked with a slew of premium ingredients during his time with Les Amis, Joon was keen to expose Malaysian diners to his brand of modern European cooking which incorporated influences from his Asian roots. The restaurant opened in July last year with a dinner menu, and only recently launched its set lunch menu.
“The set lunch is a pared-down version of a degustation menu,” says Joon.
“Our aim is to enable more local diners to try Joon Dining’s specialities so that they get to learn about new ingredients, understand and appreciate innovative food preparation techniques such as meat ageing and sous vide, slow-cooking in a controlled temperature water bath. We also want to educate more people on the art of food and wine pairing.”
According to the chef, his biggest challenge now is to cultivate a team of local culinary talents.
“I’m open to sharing my knowledge, and would like to nurture and train young talents at Joon Dining.
“Those who work here will find lots of opportunities to use new and locally sourced ingredients,” he concludes.
