Newly-opened restaurants Chim by Chef Noom and Molina KL are awarded one Michelin star each while Dewakan bags the first-ever Green Star in Malaysia. — Photos: Molina (L) and Chim by Chef Noom
The third edition of the Michelin Guide was announced today, with modern Malaysian restaurant Dewakan retaining two Michelin stars while two new Kuala Lumpur restaurants were also awarded Michelin stars.
This year Dewakan also bagged Malaysia’s first ever Michelin Green Star, which highlights restaurants at the forefront of the industry when it comes to sustainable practices.
“I was not expecting this, but shout-out to my team at home, to God, CF Capital (the company established by entrepreneurs Chryseis Tan and SM Faliq SM Nasimuddin that launched the Michelin Guide in Malaysia) and all the guys cooking out there every day,” said Darren Teoh, the maverick chef who helms Dewakan.
Teoh's modern Malaysian restaurant Dewakan bagged the country's first ever Green Star for sustainable practices.
Although Dewakan has consistently been the highest-ranked restaurant in the country since the Michelin Guide was first launched in Malaysia, Teoh says he has no grandiose plans to “take over the world”.
“As far as Dewakan is concerned, one thing we have maintained is that we constantly keep our heads down and just do things a little better than we did yesterday,” he said.
Two new restaurants were also awarded one Michelin star - Chim by Chef Noom and Molina KL.
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Chim by Chef Noom is Thai chef Thaninthorn ‘Noom’ Chantrawan’s Malaysian outpost, which opened in KL’s Menara TS Law in March this year, offering innovative contemporary Thai cuisine. The well-regarded chef also has a one Michelin-starred restaurant called Chim by Siam Wisdom in Bangkok, Thailand.
“We’ve been open for less than a year so I really didn’t expect to get a Michelin star. There are two women I would like to thank, which is my mother who taught me how to cook and my wife, who taught me how to refine my cooking,” said Noom.
Molina serves avant-garde European fare. — Molina
Five-month old fine-dining eatery Molina KL meanwhile is owned by avid foodie Datuk Alex Tan and helmed by talented Belgian chef Guillaume Depoortere.
The restaurant – which serves avant-garde European fare, is a collaboration with chef Sidney Schutte, who operates the two Michelin-starred Spectrum in Amsterdam and hand-picked Depoortere for the job.
“I was hoping for it, so I'm relieved. I mean, I think we deserved a star for what we put in, for the work, the experience and what we've brought.
“I think also for the guests in KL, the food here is something new, because there's a lot of things to do with local food, and we are the ones that bring something else.
“So I think it's great for diners that they can choose a little bit more variety. But I'm especially relieved because the stress I had this morning was insane,” said Depoortere, who confessed he couldn’t sleep the night before the ceremony.
Portager was one of 10 new Michelin Selected additions to the list.
The two new restaurants join four others which retained their one Michelin-starred status - Au Jardin and Auntie Gaik Lean's Old School Eatery in Penang and DC by Darren Chin and Beta in Kuala Lumpur.
A total of 143 restaurants were included in this year’s Michelin Guide, including seven starred restaurants, 56 Bib Gourmand eateries and 80 Michelin Selected restaurants.
There were also 12 new Bib Gourmand entries and 10 new Michelin Selected additions to the list.
Special awards were also given out during the ceremony. The 2025 Michelin Guide Service Award went to Azmi Ahmad Kamal of Chim by Chef Noom; while the 2025 Michelin Guide Sommelier Award was bagged by Han Lai from the newly-minted Michelin Selected restaurant Terra Dining.
The 2025 Michelin Guide Young Chef Award went to Waymann Cheong from Penang’s Michelin Selected eatery Lucky Hole; and the 2025 Michelin Guide Opening of the Year Award went to Depoortere, the head chef of Molina.
- Atelier Binchotan
- Bar Kar
- Blanc
- Christoph's
- Firewood
- Jaloux
- Lucky Hole
- Nyonya Willow
- Potager
- Terra Dining
- Coast by Kayra
- Foong Lian
- Leen’s
- MTR 1924
- Sin Kiew Yee Shin Kee Beef Noodles
- BM Yam Rice
- Laksalicious
- Lum Lai Duck Meat Koay Teow Th’ng
- Ravi’s Famous Apom Manis
- Serabai Istimewa
- Super Star Koay Teow Soup
- Winn’s Cafe
