A Malaysian restaurant called “Laut”, in New York City’s Upper West Side has earned Michelin star recognition, despite its owner not being Malaysian and has never been to the country.
During a recent interview with CBS News which aired on May 18, owner Salil Mehta, who hails from New Delhi, India, further revealed that he had learned to cook Malaysian cuisine through extensive research and by observing Thai cooks at a local temple.
Mehta also admitted he was unaware of what a Michelin star represented when he took over the restaurant, named Laut, in 2010.
“I have never been to Malaysia in my life,“ Mehta was quoted as saying during the interview, expressing surprise at Laut becoming the first Malaysian restaurant in New York to earn the famous Michelin star.
Originally moving to New York to pursue a career in design, he stumbled into the food industry to “pay the bills” and his culinary journey led him to master the flavours of Southeast Asia through dedication and an eagerness to learn, namely Malaysian, Singaporean and Thai food.
Mehta has also since expanded his culinary empire to four restaurants, including Wau, named after the Malaysian kite and a bar called “Singlish,“ drawing inspiration from Singaporean cocktails.
