Flavours and Culinary Culture from Malaysia to the Academic Tables of Pollenzo

On Tuesday, 18 November, Malaysian chef Norman Musa, an ambassador of Malaysian and Southeast Asian cuisine, will present his iconic dishes to the student community of the University of Gastronomic Sciences.

As part of Visit Malaysia Year 2026, an initiative celebrating the country’s extraordinary gastronomic richness, shaped by its ancient multicultural heritage, the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo is hosting Chef Norman Musa, one of the most authoritative interpreters of contemporary Malaysian cuisine.

His presence is part of the UNISG Academic Tables program, a space that continues to promote exchange between Italian and international chefs, who are invited to share their experiences, techniques, and culinary traditions with the student community. At Pollenzo, lunchtime becomes a unique educational opportunity fostering dialogue, exchange, and discovery of gastronomic cultures from around the world.

Norman Musa, an award-winning chef, author, and global ambassador of Malaysian and Southeast Asian cuisine, will take centre stage in the kitchen on Tuesday, 18 November, bringing his vision and distinctive culinary style to Pollenzo.

Originally from Penang, Malaysia, Norman moved to the United Kingdom in 1994 to study and later became a full-time chef. He opened his first restaurant in Manchester in 2006 and another in York in 2012, followed by two more in Malaysia in 2014 and 2016.
He has cooked for the Lotus Formula One team and has appeared on television programmes such as MasterChef Malaysia, BBC’s Best Ever Dishes, and Sunday Brunch.
He is the author of several cookbooks, including the bestseller Amazing Malaysian, and he runs masterclasses, supper clubs, and food events in London, Amsterdam, and Brussels. He also co-created the Wagamama Chef Academy and founded the Asian Cooking Academy in London, where he teaches Malaysian cuisine to students from all over the world.
In 2015, he was appointed Kuala Lumpur’s Gastronomic Ambassador by the city’s Mayor to promote the Malaysian capital as a gastronomic destination for the European market.
In January 2021, he was appointed Adjunct lecturer at Taylor’s University in Malaysia.
He teaches Malaysian and Southeast Asian cuisine in leading culinary schools in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

Comment from Ms Zalina Ahmad, Director of Tourism Malaysia in Paris:
"We are delighted to support this initiative at the University of Gastronomic Sciences. It is a wonderful opportunity to share the richness of Malaysian cuisine and culture, and we greatly value this collaboration with Pollenzo and its international student community."

At the Academic Tables of the University of Pollenzo, he will offer a menu that takes diners on a journey through the flavours of Malaysian gastronomy: a true culinary kaleidoscope that showcases the extraordinary richness of this land of ancient culture and tradition.

Here is the menu the international student community of Pollenzo will have the opportunity to enjoy:

Beef Rendang, Vegetable Achar & Rice
Slow-cooked beef with Malaysian herbs and spices, served with cucumber, pineapple, and onion achar, and basmati rice

Roti Canai with Vegetable Curry
Famous Malaysian flatbread served with vegetable curry

Malaysian Fried Noodles with Chicken
Egg noodles stir-fried in a wok with chicken, bean sprouts, and spinach

Malaysian Fried Noodles with Tofu
Egg noodles stir-fried in a wok with tofu, bean sprouts, and spinach

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The Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia. It is specifically responsible for promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourist destination and has established itself as a key player in the international tourism landscape.
The upcoming Visit Malaysia Year in 2026 will celebrate the sustainability of the national tourism industry, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).
Tourism Malaysia also actively supports the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), working towards the IMT-GT Visiting Year 2023–2025 with the shared goal of promoting the region as a unified tourist destination.
For more information, visit Tourism Malaysia’s official social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok.