Kim Hock Su

Coming Up

Technique in this kitchen starts with classical training, and Kim Hock Su picked that up at Le Cordon Bleu, Sydney, after being born and raised in Penang. The school gave him a precise working vocabulary; Penang gave the context that keeps that precision from turning sterile. In his work, the point is not polish for its own sake, but control tied to place and purpose. That is the frame around Au Jardin, where Su has said, “Restaurant Au Jardin is about coming back to our Malaysian roots to do something for Penang.”

Where They Are Now

Current service at Au Jardin in George Town, Malaysia, and consultant executive chef work at The Blue Mansion in George Town, Malaysia keep Kim Hock Su operating inside the same city that shaped his perspective. Those roles place the craft in close contact with Penang’s produce, memory, rhythm, and local expectation, rather than at a remove from them. Signature work at Au Jardin is clearest in Cognac & Hay Aged Duck, a dish that shows control over balance more than appetite for excess. The preparation is framed as a delicate balancing act, one that asks for restraint, timing, and a steady hand. In that dish, Kim Hock Su is aiming for duck at its best while keeping the line between finesse and character intact. The larger idea behind Au Jardin is return rather than departure. Through Kim Hock Su, Malaysian roots are translated into a contemporary dining room without sanding down the source material. The result is a kitchen language that keeps classical discipline in one hand and place in the other.

Signature

Kim's signature dishes include Cognac & Hay Aged Duck.

In Their Words “Restaurant Au Jardin is about coming back to our Malaysian roots to do something for Penang.”

Honors

Kim Hock Su has received MICHELIN Guide — One MICHELIN star for Au Jardin (2022). Kim's honors include One MICHELIN star for Au Jardin (2022).