Situated in Kota Kinabalu, Wine at the Peak is a one-year-old steakhouse that’s all about paying homage to the land it takes from.

Its head chef, Bryan, shared with Vulcan Submit: “It doesn’t at all times need to be imported to be higher, Sabah is a wealthy state with so many issues to find, prospects are limitless so long as we’re prepared to be taught and love our roots.”

Whereas he’s neither the founder nor the proprietor of Wine at the Peak, Bryan is undoubtedly a core a part of the workforce.

Previous to Wine at the Peak, Bryan had been a chef at an European-themed wine and dine steakhouse, LAVINE Restaurant and Wine Bar.

How he got here to be at Wine at the Peak was via a shared ardour with the restaurant’s proprietor, which is to eat. As foodies, they had been impressed so as to add extra to the already vibrant meals scene in KK, and thus arrange Wine at the Peak in January 2023.

Impressed by the greats

Although a steakhouse at coronary heart, Wine at the Peak additionally serves many seafood and pork dishes. With sustainability, authenticity, group, storytelling, and nostalgia as its core values, Wine at the Peak is devoted to being a farm-to-table institution.

“Once we determined to do a farm-to-table idea, it was actually impressed by Dewakan,” Bryan revealed, referring to the two Michelin-starred restaurant. “A number of years again, I realised a whole lot of the issues they used got here from our yard in Sabah.”

From a monetary side, farm-to-table ideas are admittedly not as cost-effective, although, because it usually means shopping for in much less amount from small companies who don’t get pleasure from economies of scale.

Nonetheless, Wine at the Peak needs to maneuver ahead in a sustainable means, paying the payments of much less lucky farmers in the villages.

“I’ve at all times had a compassion for individuals of older age that won’t have had entry to schooling and know-how,” he stated.

“That’s why we’ve determined to assist native farmers and entrepreneurs in no matter means attainable, I really feel that this fashion I’m truly contributing to my own residence, reasonably than sending it away to a special nation or continent.”

Lots of their elements are sourced from DumoWongi, a Sabah-based social enterprise.

“Irene, the founder, actually helps empower these bunch of wonderful girls to plant issues accurately,” Bryan defined.

However sourcing from smaller enterprises signifies that provide isn’t at all times steady, resembling when there are climate points. When that occurs, although, Bryan stated they at all times fall again to the trusty Tamu (weekly market) in Dongongon.

Elevating native flavours

Except for sourcing native, Wine at the Peak additionally serves native flavours, although oftentimes including a contemporary twist.

He stated that their staples present an expertise that’s nostalgic of conventional flavours however executed in fashionable methods. For one, there’s the sous vide pork stomach.

“Sabahan flavours if I had been to explain, are fairly huge as we’re so multicultural, however I believe it hinges on these few issues—savoury, bitter, and spicy,” he stated. “At occasions, a whole lot of fermentation and pickling as effectively relying on the dishes.”

Bryan believes that Sabahan flavours are underrated in many locations, even amongst locals, particularly as an increasing number of cuisines turn out to be out there in the scene.

Nonetheless, he additionally believes that consolation meals is above fancy meals, and hopes that Wine at the Peak can convey individuals on a journey to perhaps uncover or rediscover native flavours in the future.

Some native elements they function embody Tuhau, a wild ginger that grows abundantly there, and bambangan, a wild seasonal mango.

With storytelling being considered one of the core values, Bryan stated they do attempt to go round explaining why they do sure issues a sure means—however not everyone seems to be eager about it.

“However we attempt,” he stated. “And most of the time we’d make new buddies, and generally hear tales from our friends as effectively, that generally we take inspiration from as effectively.”

Giving again to the land

Bryan believes that particularly after the pandemic, the F&B scene has been flourishing. That stated, the Wine at the Peak workforce isn’t involved about competing with different eating places in the space.

The reason being as a result of they imagine everybody’s providing totally different ideas and menu. Bryan added, “I’d say we’re the first one in our space that does native flavours and at the identical time serving actually good steaks.”

Slightly than counting on the identical dishes all the time, although, the workforce does give you new menus every so often and in addition audit their quarterly gross sales to see how the dishes carry out.

“The one factor we’ve by no means modified could be our crispy pork stomach served with a butter sauce, it’s been a signature primarily based on our friends taking a vote,” he shared.

Meals apart, the Wine at the Peak workforce can be involved about making a wholesome work surroundings and tradition.

With that, the restaurant is geared to realize its larger mission of seeing Sabahans pleased with their lineage, their traditions, their flavours, and their identification.

The wrestle with Sabah, he expressed, is that individuals typically take from the land, then depart elsewhere to make a residing as a substitute of giving again.

“I believe it’s simpler stated than finished,” he admitted about altering this behaviour. “The plan is hoping that in the future the actions of some actually pave the means for our future generations.”

• Be taught extra about Wine at the Peak right here.
• Learn different articles we’ve written about F&B companies right here.

Featured Picture Credit score: Wine at the Peak