In a region celebrated for its dazzling diversity, a quiet revolution is reshaping Asia’s fine dining scene. It’s not driven by trends or technology — but by memory, land, and lineage. Across the Secret Tables collection by Secret Retreats, five visionary chefs are tracing their culinary identities back to their origins, embracing the raw, powerful spirit of indigenous food traditions and reinterpreting them for today’s diners.
This is what we call the Taste of the Tribes — where ancestral wisdom meets contemporary artistry, and every dish becomes a story of heritage reborn.
Akame, Taiwan – The Fire and the Forest
In the mountains of southern Taiwan, Chef Alex Peng of Akame channels the ancient roots of the Rukai tribe, one of the island’s indigenous peoples. His cooking speaks the primal language of fire — grilling, smoking, and charring — techniques that pay homage to the tribe’s bond with the forest and the hunt.
At Akame, each ingredient is locally foraged or sourced from nearby farms: wild herbs, river fish, game meat, and mountain vegetables. The result is a dining experience that feels both grounded and elemental, a dance between the flame and the earth. Recognised in Tatler Dining’s Best Restaurants 2025, Akame stands as a testament to how deep cultural memory can shape modern gastronomy without losing its soul.
Dewakan, Malaysia – Stories of the Land and Its People
In Kuala Lumpur, Chef Darren Teoh’s Dewakan continues to redefine what Malaysian cuisine means on the world stage. His dishes are not merely inspired by local ingredients; they are built upon the land’s very essence — its forests, rivers, and indigenous communities.
Wild herbs, sea succulents, and jungle fruits become the vocabulary for a new Malaysian narrative that is intellectual yet deeply emotional. Dewakan, also celebrated in Tatler Dining’s Best Restaurants 2025, is both a reflection and a reckoning — reminding diners that fine dining can be a platform for preserving biodiversity and cultural heritage in equal measure.
Nén, Vietnam – A Dialogue Between Past and Present
In Da Nang, Chef Summer Le’s Nén explores the quiet sophistication of Vietnamese heritage cuisine through a modern, minimalist lens. Drawing inspiration from her family’s roots and the central region’s local produce, she transforms familiar flavours into elegant, thought-provoking expressions of identity.
Nén’s approach to Taste of the Tribes is one of mindfulness — finding balance between old-world ingredients and modern culinary philosophy. Her menus invite guests to slow down, listen, and rediscover Vietnam’s soul through the simplicity of seasonal cooking and the stories behind every dish.
Oitom, Sabah – The Borneo Spirit on a Plate
On the island of Borneo, Chef Johnson Wong of Oitom channels the wild beauty of Sabah’s jungles and seas. His cooking draws upon indigenous Kadazan-Dusun influences — smoky flavours from woodfire cooking, earthy roots and tubers, and seafood caught by local fishermen who know the tides as their ancestors did.
Each plate at Oitom captures the spirit of the land — untamed yet deeply connected. It’s a reminder that true luxury can be found not in opulence, but in authenticity: the crackle of firewood, the scent of rain-soaked soil, and the taste of heritage shared with respect.
Nusa Indonesian Gastronomy, Indonesia – The Archipelago Reimagined
In bustling Jakarta, Nusa Indonesian Gastronomy offers a journey through Indonesia’s vast cultural mosaic, from the highlands of Papua to the spice-rich islands of Maluku. Each dish celebrates regional techniques and indigenous ingredients — sago, nutmeg, torch ginger, banana heart, cassava — elevated into fine dining compositions that remain faithful to their origins.
Through his culinary storytelling, Chef Ragil Imam Wibowo transforms forgotten village recipes into modern art forms, inviting guests to explore the nation’s diversity one island, one flavour, one story at a time.
A Shared Table of Heritage
Together, these five restaurants represent more than just exceptional dining. They are cultural custodians — chefs who honour their roots while redefining what “local” means in the language of haute cuisine.
Through Secret Tables, Secret Retreats celebrates their courage, creativity, and commitment to preserving Asia’s tribal heritage. In every ember, spice, and leaf, they remind us that the future of food lies not in invention, but in reconnection — to the land, to tradition, and to the tribes that have always known how to listen to both.