Potager wins first star in Michelin Guide KL and Penang 2027

Potager has earned its first Michelin star in the Michelin Guide KL and Penang 2027. The Bamboo Hills restaurant moves up from the Michelin Selected list.

The guide was announced on 4 November. This year the selection came out online, not at a ceremony. Meanwhile, Dewakan keeps its two stars, a rating that CJ.MY reported earlier.

Here are the starred restaurants, the Penang highlights and the special awards in the Michelin Guide KL and Penang 2027.

Stars in the Michelin Guide KL and Penang 2027

Potager serves French Contemporary cuisine. Chef Masashi Horiuchi cooks with Malaysian ingredients from a network of local farmers. The restaurant opened in September 2023.

Masashi thanked his team, his guests and the farmers who supply the kitchen. The name Potager means “own garden”, according to The Star. As a result, the farm-to-table idea is built into the name.

Overall, the guide lists 159 establishments. That includes one two-star, nine one-star, 60 Bib Gourmand and 89 Michelin Selected entries. Kuala Lumpur has 80 and Penang has 79. Still, no restaurant lost a star.

Besides Potager, Kuala Lumpur’s one-star list has Akar, Beta and Chim by Chef Noom. It also has DC. by Darren Chin, Molina and Terra Dining. By contrast, Penang has two one-star restaurants. They are Au Jardin and Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery.

Nasi kandar makes its debut

So for the first time, nasi kandar enters the guide. Two Penang restaurants are now Michelin Selected. They are Hameediyah and Deens Maju.

Still, the history matters. Hameediyah on Lebuh Campbell was founded in 1907. The Malaysia Book of Records calls it the country’s oldest nasi kandar restaurant.

Four newcomers joined the Bib Gourmand list. In Kuala Lumpur, they are 7 Chai Ipoh Hor Fun and Minji Bak Kut Teh. In Penang, they are Lemon Koay Teow Soup and Serabai Istimewa.

Meanwhile, four other Penang newcomers are Michelin Selected. They are Flower Mulan, Khaosan, Root House by Gēn and See Kong Ooi.

However, two Bib Gourmand names dropped out. Heun Kee Claypot Chicken Rice in Pudu has closed. Ah Boy Koay Teow Th’ng in Penang also left the list.

Special awards and what officials said

Among the awards, the Young Chef Award went to Aidan Low of Akar, who was born in 1992. The guide praised his mix of French technique and Japanese precision with Malaysian produce.

In addition, Nazahar of Potager won the Service Award, and Joyin Goh of Tangram took the Sommelier Award. The wine list runs to nearly 100 labels.

Root House by Gēn won Opening of the Year. Chef Johnson Wong opened it in July 2026 at the 1926 Heritage Hotel in George Town.

MICHELIN Guide international director Gwendal Poullennec said the selection reflects the continued importance of local favourites. He added that the guide also shows restaurants blending Malaysian ingredients with international techniques.

Chef Darren Teoh of Dewakan is the first chef on the guide’s new Mindful Voices platform. Darren, for his part, stresses local and native ingredients to cut imports.

In short, the Michelin Guide KL and Penang 2027 gives both cities fresh reasons to book a table. For now, Penang also has new visitors on the way, as charter flights from Poland start on 5 November.

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