Cooking up a storm in Penang

PENANG'S reputation for food and its buzzing arts scene has made it the latest playground for Singaporeans looking for a quick and affordable weekend getaway. Such has been the draw of this tiny Malaysian city with its laid-back charm and heritage appeal that it's spawned creative collaborations between the two cities, be it in visual arts or theatre. Now you can add dining into the mix, with three F&B players from Singapore headed up there during the Georgetown Festival to suss out the scene.

For established chef Anderson Ho, it's a homecoming of sorts, as the Penang-born chef was brought up in Kedah, before finally settling in Singapore in 1986. He will be making a trip back to Penang to cook for two sold-out private dinners at the private cooking studio, Burma 108, this weekend. The dinners seat 27 people each, and are an affiliate event of the Georgetown Festival.

Says the 49-year-old: "I have cooked around the world, but have not had the chance to go back to my hometown to cook for the public.