Former interior architect Kian Liew brings a design-led eye to Peranakan cooking at bōl
Executive chef Kian Liew traded a 15-year corporate career as a London-trained interior architect to pursue his culinary dreams, eventually opening bōl in 2022. A self-taught cook, he blends his designer’s eye with a deep appreciation for local flavours, creating Peranakan dishes that are both thoughtfully curated and layered.
How did you end up falling in love with Peranakan cuisine?
I didn’t grow up in a professional kitchen; my understanding of food began at the dining table. Peranakan cuisine was among the first to show me how layered and expressive local cooking could be – in flavour and in memory.
It’s a cuisine shaped by migration, adaptation and time. There’s restraint in some dishes, generosity in others, but every recipe carries a story. That emotional dimension drew me early on and eventually became the foundation for how I approach cooking today.
What is it about Peranakan food that keeps you coming back to it?
Peranakan cooking is incredibly nuanced. It’s often described as bold, but what interests me more is the balance – how acidity, sweetness, spice and aroma are layered in ways that feel both comforting and precise.
Many dishes are seasonal and resourceful, built on what’s grown nearby, foraged or preserved. That sensitivity to produce and environment resonates with how we cook at bōl today.
If someone tasted your food without knowing the backstory, what would you want them to understand about your take on Peranakan cuisine?
Peranakan food has always evolved through movement and exchange. At bōl, we respect the intent behind the flavours – the balance, the use of local produce, the care in preparation – while presenting them in a way that reflects how we eat today. If a dish feels familiar but not entirely expected, then we’ve probably found the right balance.
What’s the story behind your current menu, and where did the inspiration come from?
From February to June 2026, we present From The Ground, developed in collaboration with LocalPasar.
While still influenced by Peranakan flavours, the menu shifts focus to their origins; locally grown, raised and foraged ingredients take the lead.
Many traditional Nyonya dishes are shaped by what was available locally. From The Ground revisits the relationship between land and kitchen, with provenance and seasonality guiding each course. @bol_in_kl
