i. Biography
Beginnings
In 2021, during the pandemic, Eat and Cook was co-founded by Zhexi Lee and university friend Soh Yong Zhi. The restaurant was built around local ingredients, traditional recipes, and modern presentation, with Malaysian cooking shaped for an omakase format rather than a conventional à la carte line. That choice gave Lee a structure where each course could be paced for control, sequence, and surprise. Seasonal tasting menus became the operating language of the kitchen. Through that format, Zhexi Lee kept familiar ingredients rooted in regional practice while presenting them with precision and restraint. The result was a menu style that held onto its origins without copying them outright.
The Rise
The dishes make the method visible. Seven-day-aged duck signals patience before service, with the aging period embedded in the dish itself. Malay ikan soup, paired with truffle aioli, places a traditional preparation beside a more polished accent. Assam prawns finished with prawn shell oil push flavor back through the ingredient, using what might otherwise be discarded to deepen the plate. Taken together, the work shows attention to texture, memory, and timing. Zhexi Lee’s plates do not treat Malaysian flavors as fixed; they present them through a seasonal tasting menu that keeps the original character legible while shifting the register. The format is doing the narrative work, course by course.
Signature
Zhexi's signature dishes include Seven-day-aged Ipoh mountain duck, Malay ikan soup with truffle aioli, and Assam prawns with prawn shell oil.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Zhexi
What is Zhexi Lee's current role?
As of 2026, Zhexi Lee is Chef.
What is Zhexi Lee known for?
Contemporary Malaysian omakase and seasonal tasting menus.
