What chefs cook at home: Chef Philip Leong of Nobu KL

When he is cooking in the restaurant, Leong says his mind is always fixated on accuracy and precision, whereas when he cooks at home, he is relaxed and ends up cooking more intuitively. - ART CHEN/The Star

Growing up in his hometown of Ipoh, Philip Leong has fond memories of eating his parents’ Hakka fare, like steamed chicken with ginger and garlic. But having been immersed in Japanese cuisine for a good two decades now, Leong says even these heritage Chinese dishes have taken on a Japanese slant.

“Because I have been working in Japanese cuisine for so long, that base is already built inside me, so every time I cook at home, there are some kind of Japanese ingredients involved even though it is a Chinese dish,” he says, laughing.