Chi Kitchen is delighted to announce that Ping Coombes has been appointed Consultant Chef for its two contemporary pan-Asian restaurants located in Debenhams Oxford Street and Birmingham stores. After winning MasterChef in 2014, Ping has embraced the opportunity to spread the knowledge of her native Malaysian cuisine, working around the world as a Malaysia Kitchen Ambassador.
Ping will work closely with the Chi Kitchen team, and will be adding her unique style to the diverse menus and inspiring guests with her passion for the dishes she creates. Ping will develop Chi Kitchen’s offering of contemporary, colourful, and delicious menus influenced by Thai, Chinese, Malaysian, Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean cuisine.
Ping will soon embark on a month long research trip to Malaysia, upon return, her new dishes will be added to the Chi Kitchen menu, to launch in March. In the meantime, Ping’s recommended dishes have been marked on the current menu.
Owner Eddie Lim says, “I am so pleased to be welcoming Ping into the Chi Kitchen family, she’s been a good friend of mine for many years. Her food is vibrant and exciting, we are confident that she will be well received with Chi Kitchen’s existing customers as well as attracting a new clientele of Debenhams shoppers.”
Chi Kitchen Oxford Street opened in November 2015, offering a diverse all-day dining menu, designed to guide guests on a culinary journey through South East Asia. Dishes are served with modern presentation whilst maintaining authentic tastes with the freshest produce. The space is designed to be welcoming and relaxed, and encompasses deep upholstered window booths, as well as a dining counter that doubles as a sushi bar, and delivers freshly prepared sushi and sashimi. An open-plan robata grill is also a focal point, allowing guests a glimpse into the kitchen where the chefs display theatrical live cooking.