This October, luxury resort The Ritz-Carlton Langkawi will become the stage for a rare homecoming as Chef Abby Lee, the Malaysian chef behind London’s Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Mambow, brings her modern Peranakan vision back to local soil.
For two days only, on Oct 2 and Oct 3, 2025, Lee will take over the resort’s Langkawi Kitchen to showcase her modern Peranakan cuisine with a Langkawi twist. Known for her bold reinterpretations of Nyonya heritage cuisine, she will present menus that fuse her London-honed craft with the flavours and produce of Langkawi.
The evening dinner on Oct 2 opens with fiery Otak-Otak prawn toast and Sarawak-inspired Andaman Sea Bass ceviche brightened with starfruit granita, before culminating in a show-stopping Kari Kepala Ikan fish head curry. Lee’s special ode to Langkawi comes in her reworked sambal, inspired by the island’s Sambal Kerisik Ikan Rebus, a rich blend of toasted coconut and locally caught mackerel. The night ends sweetly with a Mambow favourite, the fudgy Kuih Bingka cassava cake paired with toasted rice ice cream.
The next day, Lee shifts her lens to an imaginative afternoon tea at the resort’s Beach Grill, where a colourful spread of kuih showcases both playfulness and heritage: Savoury Pulut Panggang with dried shrimp sambal, Chicken Lor Bak and sardine-filled Karipap, balanced with delicate sweet bites like Kuih Dadar and baked Kuih Bakar Pisang, awaits the guests.
For those who are unable to make it for the two-day showcase, Lee has also crafted a Ritz-Carlton exclusive — the Hainanese Chicken Sando — layering tender chicken, ginger, spring onion and chilli between pandan loaf. Available until the end of the year, it promises to become a resort favourite and poolside indulgence.
For diners, it’s a rare chance to experience one of Malaysia’s most exciting culinary talents reimagining her roots on home soil as Lee’s takeover is more than a guest chef appearance; it is a celebration of heritage, reinvention and homecoming.
