Eat Your Way Through Penang
Apartamento and Belmond Editors
Discover ‘Penang: Recipes and Wanderings Around an Island in Malaysia’, the newest cookbook collaboration between Belmond and Apartamento.
The second in our Recipes & Wanderings cookbook series, Penang continues Apartamento and Belmond’s journey through vibrant culinary communities around the world. With its buzzing hawker markets and brightly painted shop fronts, it’s a place where bustling city gives way to tropical jungle and floating fishing villages are found bobbing in secluded bays. Here you will find one of the proudest bastions of Peranakan culture, a result of the Southeast Asian diaspora that influences everything from cuisine to fashion and design.
The recipes in this book come courtesy of a diverse group of culinary contributors, including André Chiang, Abby Lee, Kirthanaa Naidu and Malcolm Lee, who have generously provided dishes of their own invention that draw influence from Penang. Alongside these recipes, photographer Luo Yang presents an intimate visual portrayal of the island, complete with the vibrant street food that makes this one of Southeast Asia’s culinary capitals. Discover the best Malaysian recipes – including Penang duck curry, Sambal Belacan and Ais Kacang – as well as a selection of essays from writers such as Anna Sulan Masing and Tash Aw.
Disembarking in George Town, the island’s capital, from Belmond’s luxury sleeper train, the Eastern & Oriental Express, prepare to be lost in the heady flavours of this Malaysian melting pot. The ‘wanderings’ section of this book comes from varied suppliers that make this food possible – from family-run nutmeg plantations to durian farms perched high on jungle-clad hills, overlooking sparkling seas.
An island indelibly marked by its colonial past, Penang is a place where Chinese, Indian, Malay, and European cultures blend seamlessly into one distinctly modern Malaysian mélange. Whether you’re starting the day with jewel-like Kuih accompanied by sweet Kaya Toast or burning the midnight oil at a smoky street market dishing up spice-crusted Ikan Bakar or fragrant Assam Laksa, the island is a feast for the senses as well as the stomach. To truly know Penang, you must taste Penang, and we hope this book whets your appetite for journeys ahead.
EASTERN & ORIENTAL EXPRESS
CULINARY JOURNEYS
Embark on one of three exclusive culinary journeys hosted by Chef Andre Chiang in 2025. Journey from Singapore to Malaysia aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express, with each trip featuring one of Chef Andre’s distinguished friends and fellow chefs.
Prepare for a unique exploration of Southeast Asian cuisine where authentic flavours are reinterpreted with artistry and passion.
You might also enjoy
Ask The Concierge: Caterina Cucuzza’s Taormina
Our Ask the Concierge series returns – and this time, we’re heading to Villa Sant’Andrea in Taormina, Sicily. Today, we meet the hotel’s Head Concierge Caterina Cucuzza. She tells us where to find authentic artisanal ceramics, reveals Sicily’s best spots for a shaded gelato and guides us on where to book a romantic dinner for two.
JR on the Making of L’Observatoire
The renowned French artist JR challenges traditions and sparks dialogue with his monumental artistic creations. Turning his eye to the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express where he's designed an entire carriage onboard, the L’Observatoire suite is an artwork in motion. Transforming every detail into an opportunity for introspection and adventure, read JR in his own words as he explores the deeper meaning behind his most ambitious project yet.
Ask The Concierge: Toru Machida's London
Introducing our new series Ask The Concierge, we spoke to Toru Machida, Head Concierge at The Cadogan. With him, we dive in to find out more about the best spots in Chelsea and beyond.
Investigate London’s New Murder Mystery Experience
One train, five courses, ten suspects. A new immersive murder mystery experience on board the British Pullman train is setting off from London for a wildly entertaining whodunit.
Vamos À Festa!
Rio Carnival is rooted in the fabric of Brazilian tradition. Discover the history of the biggest party in the world, where you need to stand out to fit in.
Feast on Art at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
For the past forty years, Chef Raymond Blanc OBE has been serving dishes plated like paintings at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons – alongside amassing a collection of artistic commissions for the hotel. Inspired by the stories that make this hotel feel like a home, discover some of Le Manoir’s most prized artistic pieces.
An Art & Design Lover’s Guide to Mexico City
While Modernist icons like Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Luis Barragán sowed the seeds of greatness, a new cohort of creatives are steering Mexico City’s cultural conversation into a contemporary space. Beyond the few days in February that make up art week and the well–trodden landmarks that feature in every other city guide, there is plenty more here that promises to reward the art and design lover that is willing to dig deeper.