| Malaysian Fare 2.0 |
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Malaysian Fare 2.0 
Photo courtesy of Shangri-la Hotel
On a recent evening, Cherkas leaves the subdued warmth of Lafite, located in the Shangri-La Hotel, and strolls down the street to one of many all-night, open-air restaurants. A blaze of lights strung carelessly on metal rods carves the eatery out of the steamy darkness, and patrons sit in cockeyed folding chairs around plastic tables scattered slapdash across the asphalt. Cherkas is in the mood for barbecued pork and fried noodles, but the uncomprehending Chinese waiter brings him a nest of steaming noodles tangled with grilled seafood instead. Cherkas shrugs his shoulders and digs in. Originally from Vancouver, B.C., Cherkas has worked at Daniel, in New York City, and La Belle Auberge, outside Vancouver. But his time at Spain’s El Bulli, named top restaurant in 2006 and 2007 by Restaurant magazine, was decisive. There he learned the art of balancing chemistry and cooking from Ferrán Adrià, the style’s foremost practitioner. “Adrià is a visionary in the development of modern food,” says Cherkas. “He’s determined to constantly invent and evolve. Since my goal is also to create new ideas and techniques with food, there was nobody better to learn from.” Now Cherkas is translating Adrià’s avant-garde approach for the cuisine of Malaysia. At just 29 years old, Cherkas has a barely bottled intensity and a charming, insouciant air that says anything is possible. One of only 14 chefs chosen from some 7,000 applicants to work the summer 2006 season at El Bulli, Cherkas could have written his ticket anywhere. “I jumped at the chance to come to Malaysia,” he says. “The local food is complex and unusual, and it’s not widely available overseas. When was the last time you saw a Malaysian restaurant in your home city? This was a great opportunity to work in a food culture based not on fine dining, but on street food stalls and their perfect local dishes.” At a typical Malay food stall, a dish of fried noodles might go for less than a dollar. In contrast, the best value at Lafite is a “vertical lunchtime buffet” that stacks cooked-to-order entrées in a tower on one plate for around $22. For the full Cherkas experience, a six- to 15-course meal customized to your tastes, you’ll pay up to $125. |
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