I’m not naturally drawn to vegan food. I like flavour, I like comfort, and I don’t believe in forcing something just because it’s “better.” But I’m also at a point where I might need to open a restaurant, and if that happens, it will most likely be vegetarian. So I’m experimenting.

Julius isn’t one of those traditional chefs with a long Michelin background. He’s part of a newer generation. A food creator who built his following by simplifying recipes and making them accessible. His focus is very clear. Take dishes people already love and show how they can exist in a plant-based way without losing the point. That’s also why this book works.

It doesn’t feel like a lecture. It feels practical. Comfort food from around the world, just rethought slightly. Nothing too complicated, nothing too precious.

And that’s where it gets interesting. Because when you really think about it, most comfort food is already vegetarian. Mashed potatoes. Pizza Margherita. French fries. The things we reach for without thinking twice. No one questions them, and no one feels like they’re missing out.

So maybe it’s not about vegan or not vegan. Maybe it’s just about good food, done well.

Some of the recipes surprised me. In a good way. I’m not converted. Not yet.
But it’s an experiment worth considering.

I met Kim Hock Su a long time ago, before the Michelin star, and we’ve shared a connection ever since. It started, quite unexpectedly, with a flower. Lantana.

Since then, I’ve watched his work evolve, and what he has created is exceptional.

He has this ability to take something deeply local and reinterpret it in a completely new way. His chutney turned into butter with dosa turned into bread, turned into what feels like a French bread and butter course, is a perfect example. Familiar, but completely reimagined.

But what struck me most were the colours, and how they sit within the dish.

Not just beautiful, but precise. The yellow was perfect. The greens were exact. Nothing felt accidental. Working in design, you become very sensitive to colour, and when it’s done well, you recognise it immediately. Here, everything was in balance.

The visual composition supports it, of course. Every element is intentional. The flower speaks to the sauce, the sauce to the plate, the plate to the ingredient. It’s all connected, but never overworked.

And then there are the moments in between.

The small, unexpected gestures that stay with you just as much as the main dishes. The mini Magnum ice cream, served as a palate cleanser, simple, nostalgic, and perfectly placed.

And at the end, a beautiful detail. A small shelf unit brought to the table, presenting Malaysian classics, reinterpreted as desserts. Familiar flavours, but elevated, thoughtful, and very personal.

There is also a sense of restraint, which I appreciate. You leave satisfied, but not overwhelmed. It’s curated from beginning to end.

We were there celebrating a 60th birthday, and it couldn’t have been a better setting. Quietly special, beautifully executed.

And then, one last detail. The vegetarian hot dog you take home. I had mine the next morning, and it was just as enjoyable.

It’s rare to find a place where everything feels so considered.

And even rarer to see someone bring together flavour, colour, and composition with that level of clarity.

Lisette’s is named after me, and even though it is no longer my restaurant, the name has somehow become part of everyday life. That in itself is fascinating. A name turning into a household name. I am still very close to the family behind it, and it remains a space that is deeply close to my heart.

The logo was made a long time ago, drawn entirely by hand by me, and I still love it. It is a quiet reminder that when you pour real love and energy into a design, it has a way of lasting. The same goes for the tiles. Designed years ago, they are still beautiful today, timeless rather than dated. They were also the starting point of our very first print, Willow Wishes, which makes seeing them now even more meaningful.

We will be working together again in the future. But for now, if you love Nala, Lisette’s in 163 is very much the place to go. And for those who know, I am vegetarian with a dash of fish once in a while. The big vegan breakfast is still as good as ever.