CHEF NAT’S FLAVOURS OF THAILAND AT NIPAH

Thailand’s foremost lady butcher and meat maestro, Natsasi Noo-in – better known as Chef Nat – wields anatomical precision with gastronomic flair, bringing invigorating Thai flavours to Nipah and Étoile, EQ Kuala Lumpur.
 
From 25 to 28 June, the tour de force of The Lady Butcher restaurant and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) ambassador will thrill carnivores alike. Equal parts meat master, sustainability champion and culinary innovator, Chef Nat is famed for elevating secondary Aussie beef cuts and often-overlooked offal to rarefied heights. Her mantra? "Choosing ingredients is like choosing a partner and Australian beef is my perfect match."

 
EQ guests will find the chef’s custom menu a study in balance and bravado — part technical precision, part homespun Thai soul. Her Tom Saap is a fine example in which Australian beef osso buco bestows meaty essence into a muted herbal-accented broth, punctuated with wild mushrooms.

Her bright, zingy Thai Beef Salad is almost symphonic with fresh coriander, chillies, lemongrass and lime. Unmissable Young Mango, Glass Noodles and Thai Seafood Salad tango invitingly on the palate; the profusion of tantalising nuances priming tastebuds for the mains to come.

Robust, soul-warming Beef Topside Gaeng Om coaxes deep, layered complexity from humble cuts of beef and exotic Thai herbs. Underpinning her Thai background is Braised Beef Short Rib Salad with Pomelo and Mint.

She cannily banks on nam jim jeaw – the go-to Thai sauce for grilled meat to enhance the allure of her Beef Rump Carpaccio with Jaew Dressing. More fusion in approach is the Smoked Beef Brisket with Cherry Tomatoes & Burrata Cheese.

 
Seared to smoky perfection, we relish the tender Banana Leaf Grilled Australian Ribeye, complemented by a punchy roasted rice and black pepper sauce.

 
The standout Grain Fed Picanha Steak, dressed in makwaen (prickly ash, a star-anise shape spice similar to Sichuan peppercorn) spiked jaew, tastes superb paired with sticky rice. Likewise, Braised Beef Brisket with Rice Noodles piques interest with stimulating flavours.

 
Lamb lovers will find much to love with the moreish Lamb Loin Larb with Organic Greens (crisp outer crumb yielding to scrumptious lamb mince inside) and fall-off-the-bone tender Braised Australian Lamb Shank in Soy Sauce with Salted Egg Yolk.

 
The chef culminates her showcase with Mango Sticky Rice Trio and Bua Loy in Coconut Milk. These dessert treats deliver a warm, sweet ending to the meat-dominated affair.

 
Priced at RM198+ per adult and RM99+ per child (6–12 years),
Chef Nat’s specialities are available at Nipah from 25–28 June 2025, served buffet-style from 6.30pm – 10.30pm. The Étoile semi-buffet brunch on 29 June is priced at RM158+ per adult and RM79 per child.

 
For reservations, call EQ Kuala Lumpur, WhatsApp: +60 12-583 5319 or email: dineateqkl@kul.equatorial.com

MEAT LIVESTOCK AUSTRALIA CHALLENGES CHEFS TO RAISE THEIR GAME

Doubletree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur emerged as the Champion of  the 2019 Golden Bull Culinary Competition at this year’s Culinaire Malaysia 2019 which was held from 24-27 September.

The five-man team beat eight other teams in creating the best beef and lamb dishes, to win a challenge tropy, cash prize of RM6,888 and medals. The 1st Runner-Up Royal Brunei Catering walked away with a challenge tropy, cash prize of RM5,888 and medals. Fudehui Group from China grabbed the 2nd runner-up spot, bagging a challenge tropy, cash prize of RM3,888 and medals.

Held in conjunction with Culinaire Malaysia, Meat Livestock Australia (MLA) is the main sponsor of the Golden Bull Culinary Competition. 

 

 

 

 

A total of nine teams from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, China, Brunei and Taiwan cooked up a storm, pitting their culinary skills and versatility in creating beef and lamb dishes.

 

 

 

 

Judging was based on the teams who displayed best use of secondary cuts of Australian beef and lamb for appetisers and main course. Points were also awarded for cooking temperature, texture, cutting, preparation and seasoning.

 

 

For the MLA Iron Butcher Challenge, Muhamad Adam Yahya from Sama-Sama Hotel KLIA was declared the MLA Iron Butcher champion. He went home with a special knife set, a challenge trophy and a certificate of achievement.

The 1st Runner-Up was Muhammad Faizal Mokhzir from Atlas Gourment Sdn Bhd and 2nd Runner-Up was Mohamad Fauzan Abdul Rahman from Hero Market Sdn Bhd also received similar prizes.

 

This year, 21 butchers from the retail and food-service sectors competed in the preliminary rounds, cutting and portioning out beef carcass and primal cuts of lamb within the allocated 1.5 hours.

 

 

 

 

Judges watched the competitors like hawks, awarding marks for preparation and boning techniques, value-adding ideas (marination), cuts applicable to food service, clean muscle separation, time management, good hygiene practices, orderliness at work, minimisation of food wastage, cost effectiveness and presentation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the quality Aussie beef and lamb for both MLA competitions were supplied by Stanbroke, Murray Pure and Thomas Foods from Australia.