Dishing the dirt with Darren Teoh
As culinary landscapes continue to evolve and the urgency for sustainable practices grows, ZFPA remains committed to collaborating with like-minded partners to shape a regenerative future of food. In this upcoming interview series, Dishing the dirt, we speak with leaders in the food and hospitality field to delve into conversations around sustainability, biodiversity, regeneration, and the future of food.
Kicking off the series is Kuala Lumpur-based chef Darren Teoh, founder of the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Dewakan and the community-driven Kita Food Festival. Led by our advisor Nithiya Laila, this conversation explores how Darren’s approach to food extends beyond culinary innovation, inviting the industry to critically engage with the evolving food system.
Dewakan stands as a testament to Chef Darren’s commitment in exploring Malaysia's rich pantry of ingredients.The restaurant is a celebration of indigenous communities, underutilized ingredients, and a reimagining of what Malaysian cuisine can be. Through the Kita Food Festival, he invites industry stakeholders and the public alike to question how we produce and consume food. The festival is grounded in the belief that building a curious, informed community — one that values diverse perspectives — is key to shaping the future of food, beyond just discovering the next hidden gem or rising star.
So, let’s dive into the conversation!
The First Step in Food Literacy: Practicing Reciprocity
A central theme that emerged during the interview was the lack of reciprocity in our relationship with food — the people who grow it, and the land that nourishes it. Darren highlighted how overconsumption and the emphasis on quantity over quality have led to the unsustainable depletion of natural resources. Using cacao as an example, he pointed out how its integrity has been bastardized as a result of monocropping and its irrational demand. To move forward, he emphasized the importance of reconnecting with food by understanding and honoring the ways in which it is produced.
The “Chocolate” Tart, made with Dabai — a native fruit with a flavor profile reminiscent of chocolate—serves as an invitation for diners to explore the breadth of nature’s offerings and to celebrate biodiversity. Rather than positioning Dabai as a direct replacement for cacao, the dish encourages a broader appreciation of underutilized ingredients. This intention is also why Darren chooses not to commercialize it, preserving its integrity and message.
Darren further mentions that instead of looking for substitutions, we should focus on real solutions—choosing foods that are accessible, appropriate for our environment, and those that truly nourishes. He points out that when a particular resource nears exhaustion, the typical response is to find an alternative, only to exploit it in the same way. This pattern doesn't address the root issues of overconsumption or unsustainable production practices, ultimately perpetuating a destructive cycle.
“What we're not doing is we're not looking at the bandwidth of what we should be eating. We're still looking at very hyper-focused industries and very hyper-focused resources that are being toiled to a point where it's at the brink of shattering and falling apart.”
Darren continues, “I mean, if we all raised chickens for example, would we be so carefree about how we eat the chicken or how we eat the eggs?”. Our limited access to land means we no longer care about how growing food would impact the environment and ourselves. Food simply becomes sustenance rather than nourishment. It is no secret that the nutrient density of our food has decreased significantly due to industrial farming, and we need to increase our intake to receive the same amount of nutrients compared to 50 years ago. By re-educating ourselves about supply chain issues, we would take better care of our animals, crops, land, and our health. That is the goal of reciprocation: tending to nature’s needs, and in turn, it will take care of our health.
Kita Festival: The Future of Food Symposium, 2025
The other question Nithiya enquired is whether food is too cheap. While acknowledging there are two sides of the same coin, one where people have limited access to enough nutritious food, and the other of overindulgence - Darren agrees on the dichotomy that food is cheap and underpriced but rarely nutritious. This problem stems from a lack of acknowledgement of the indigenous communities and farmers and how they grow (forage) for food. One thing that Dewakan doesn’t do is haggle for price when it comes to products they know have a value, and that value derives from appreciation and reciprocation toward their suppliers and the land.
These are all powerful lessons to learn. As consumers, we have the responsibility to take care of our producers, our environment, and ultimately, ourselves. Every time we cook (how and where we buy ingredients from) and every time we choose to dine out, we are making an impact on our food system. As restaurant operators, you can source responsibly and recognize the value of food beyond the food dollar, and in turn communicate these merits to diners.
Beyond Environmental Regeneration
The conversation also delves into the ever-evolving nature of cuisines and ingredients, challenging the notion of labeling any dish as truly “authentic.” Given how climate change is threatening our food production and biodiversity, many of the ingredients we value today may soon disappear - making our diets more monotonous. On top of that, industrial farming practices and chemical inputs are diminishing the natural flavors of our fruits and vegetables. Indeed, how can we ascertain a dish’s authenticity when the ingredients we use and the flavors are constantly changing? Chili, a fruit with strong heat notes, is ironically susceptible to heat, leading to milder flavors due to global warming. To think how the Southeast Asian region is so defined by the heat and the use of chilis, the cultures and cuisine built upon it, Darren posed, “I cannot imagine life without chili.”.
“What was this region eating before the chili? And it’s such an interesting thing because the chili, despite being a fruit, has become so quintessential to the social construct. The social construct of how our communities are built. And I cannot imagine life without chili.”
Environmental restoration is key to the regeneration of our food system, but it is also about socio-cultural preservation, to discover what is indigenous to the land and to shed light on ancient wisdom.
Native ingredients used in Dewakan, sourced from indigenous communities.
That’s Small Steps For Us, One Giant Leap for The Food System
As highlighted in our key takeaway from the Kita Food Festival, this thought-leading space acts as a vital platform for voices across the food industry — bringing together diverse perspectives and areas of expertise that can illuminate pathways through our global polycrisis. Darren shared that the future of this community-driven initiative will remain fluid, evolving with the changing climate and adapting in ways that make sense for the times — just as the broader food industry must do.
In the context of the future of food and the impact the food scene has on the environment, the discourse underscores the importance of making informed choices and taking small steps towards building a more sustainable future. Darren's advocacy for incremental change anchored in delicious food, a spirit of curiosity, and meaningful community engagement serves as an inspiring call to action. It reminds us that addressing the challenges of today and tomorrow starts with thoughtful, collective steps forward.
Final Thoughts
While Chef Darren does not proclaim to be on any crusade, his work speaks volumes — demonstrating a deep commitment to guiding the food industry toward a more equitable and sustainable future. At ZFPA, we share this vision: to collectively shape a path forward that embraces culinary evolution and environmental stewardship in response to our changing climate.