From roots to recognition, Chef Johnson Wong has a brilliant way of turning childhood flavors into playful, surprising dishes at Gen Penang and Communal Table by Gen.
After taking home the 2023 Michelin Young Chef Award, he has continued redefining modern Malaysian cuisine.
Today, Gen Penang stands proudly as a Michelin-Selected destination while Communal Table holds a Bib Gourmand.
The restaurant has settled nicely like a genial neighbor to the century-old street food scene outside George Town.
Just like her founder, Gen Penang is winsome, delightful, and incredibly charming. This kitchen has stood the test of time in an unassuming, unpresumptuous way.
A Little Update for My Fellow Foodies
Since I first sat down for this tasting experience, Chef Johnson Wong’s vision has rightfully captured global attention.
While the wonderful menu and review I share below laid the beautiful foundation for his food philosophy at his permanent home inside The Prestige Hotel along Gat Lebuh Gereja, Gen Penang has grown tremendously since then.
The restaurant has even earned a coveted spot on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
The multi-course tasting menu format has naturally evolved over the years too, with current lunch pairings starting around RM398++ and dinner experiences around RM498++.
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Chef Johnson Wong
A look back at when I first met Chef Johnson Wong during his early culinary days at Macalister Mansion. Credit SmartDory
Chef Johnson Wong has truly become a defining voice in modern Malaysian gastronomy.
As the visionary founder of Gen Penang, he has built his reputation on an ingredient-driven philosophy that beautifully reinterprets classic Malaysian flavors through the lens of personal memory.
Instead of relying on imported luxury goods, he looks directly at the wealth of produce in our own backyard, transforming nostalgic tastes into groundbreaking fine dining.
Ever since I’ve known Chef Johnson, he has held fast to his vision of creating a purist cuisine by using only the freshest local ingredients.
He has remained steadfast over the years and takes great pride in his calling to provide a magical mouthfeel dining experience.
There aren’t many fine dining restaurants in the state serving such a clean, delicate palate.
When everyone else battled for sensational cooking to assail the tongue and senses, Gen Penang kept to the pure essence of ingredients.
You won’t find heavy sauces, triple cheese, or blinding chili grenades in your mouth here.
What you get to enjoy is a light touch that lets you savor the bounty of Penang’s seafood, local produce, and fresh herbs.
If you are a regular, you will know exactly what I mean. Chef Johnson has truly taken the tasting menu up another notch.
What is the Philosophy Behind Gen?
In Chinese, the name Gen signifies roots, and the concept behind it is beautifully simple.
It is a New Malaysian cuisine restaurant that serves creative dishes crafted with local and seasonal ingredients.
They use the very best Malaysian produce to articulate the finer flavors and nuances of our culture, all while holding core values that embrace sustainability.
How Does the Kitchen Prep the Dishes?
Chef Johnson deeply believes in using local Malaysian ingredients, and the restaurant makes everything in-house using the best finds across Penang.
Their cooking methods transform each dish into a tantalizing morsel with an intense burst of flavors balanced by a delicate touch.
The kitchen team uses pickling, slow cooking, and even fermenting to work their magic.
You will find that the menu features abundant seafood from our surrounding seas along with a few brilliant raw dishes.
Flashback to a Beautiful Tasting Menu Experience
To truly understand why Gen Penang commands such a presence today, you have to look at how these flavors began.
I had been going on quite a regional run around this time, eating magical dishes from many places.
My food journey took me everywhere from cozy homes to sitting low on stools where I needed my companion to physically pull me up!
And even to dining at an organic farm to eat freshly plucked greens and herbs.
In my travels, I’ve had pure capsaicin with a heat that seared like an inferno in my mouth, which I desperately tried to neutralize with milk.
So, returning home and looking forward to a promised medley of local flavors on the Gen Penang tasting menu was something I truly anticipated.
The 7-course tasting menu had so many surprises hidden in between.
I counted 13 excellent, memorable services with a dessert that I thoroughly enjoyed before things were amped up.
Flashback to a Beautiful Gen Tasting Menu Experience
To truly understand why Gen Penang commands such a presence today, you have to look at how these flavors began.
I had been going on quite a regional run around this time, eating magical dishes from many places.
My food journey took me everywhere from cozy homes to sitting low on stools where I needed my companion to physically pull me up after meals!
I once dined at an organic farm to eat freshly plucked greens and herbs.
In my travels, I’ve had pure capsaicin with a heat that seared like an inferno in my mouth, which I desperately tried to neutralize with milk.
So, returning home and looking forward to a promised medley of local flavors on the Gen Penang tasting menu was something I truly anticipated.
The 7-course tasting menu had so many surprises hidden in between.
I counted 13 excellent, memorable services with a dessert that I thoroughly enjoyed before things were amped up.
The Appetizer
For the starter, we had Charcoal Manitou Cubes and Sweetcorn Cream topped with chili powder.
Now, I’m just not a huge fan of the charcoal food trend in general.
I know that activated charcoal has certain health benefits, and I agree that visually, the black coloring gives the food a fashionable appearance.
It’s just a personal preference because I love regular manitou cubes and creamed corn to death!
However, this version of the sweetcorn cream is one that I absolutely adore for its hint of smoky richness and its sweet, creamy texture with a whisper of spiciness.
I could easily have asked for seconds for this alone.
The incredibly clever Charcoal Manitou Cubes camouflaged on stones, served alongside a rich Sweetcorn Cream. Credit SmartDory
The 3 Starters
Dough Stick, Shrimp, Jicama.
Next came a section of deep-fried dough stick, or youtiao, smeared with a rich shrimp paste which we locally call hare koh, all beautifully garnished with fresh jicama.
An elevated street food classic—the wonderfully textured Dough Stick, Shrimp, and crisp Jicama course. Credit SmartDory
Chicken Wing, Curry, Romaine Lettuce
Then we were served a one-bite cocktail creation featuring deep-fried chicken wing with romaine lettuce and curry.
I absolutely loved the intense curry flavor packed into that bite.
A brilliant, elevated bite featuring Chicken Wing, aromatic Curry, and crisp Romaine Lettuce. Credit SmartDory
Papaya, White Prawn, Fermented Chili
We also tried the papaya with white prawn and fermented chili.
The papaya pickle itself was lovely.
But I personally do not favor raw, mushy chopped prawn mixed with fermented chili.
Again, that is just down to my own palate preferences!
The Mains
Tuna, Kaffir Lime, Longan
The presentation of the tuna with kaffir lime and longan was something I rather enjoyed visually.
The dish pairs raw local tuna with pickled longan, local herbs, and fragrant kaffir lime leaves.
My personal favorite from the meal—the stunningly bright Tuna, Kaffir Lime, and Longan creation. Credit SmartDory
Leek, Minced Pork, Dried Shrimp
We then had a dish with leek, minced pork, and dried shrimp.
Large leeks tend to be more fibrous in texture, and this particular dish was a bit too overly fibrous and tough for me.
However, the minced pork, dried shrimp, black moss, and egg yolk sauce combination was wonderfully rich and creamy.
And I thoroughly enjoyed eating that part on its own without the leeks.
The beautifully caramelized Leek, Minced Pork, and deeply savory Dried Shrimp creation. Credit SmartDory
Squid, Salted Duck Egg, Bitter Gourd
Usually, I don’t particularly like cooked squid.
I normally only like the Penang style sotong bakar that is grilled over hot coals and served with a dipping chili sauce.
But I was completely intrigued by this dish made entirely of squid, salted duck egg, bitter gourd, and squid ink blended together.
They steam it into beautiful, black, spongy ribbons.
Chef Johnson completely won me over with this one, knowing full well my usual aversion to black squid ink everything!
The beautifully striking Squid, Salted Duck Egg, and Bitter Gourd course. Credit SmartDory
The Palate Cleanser
Bilimbing, Pomelo, Lemongrass
To refresh our palates, we were served a beautiful blend of belimbing, pomelo, and lemongrass.
This palate cleanser features a neutral-flavored coconut panna cotta served with the citrusy, sweet juice sacs of the pomelo intact.
The combination carries the bright, acidic flavors of baby star fruit, lemongrass oil, and kaffir leaves without any of the bitterness you sometimes get with grapefruits.
The wonderfully bright and zesty Bilimbing, Pomelo, and Lemongrass combination. Credit SmartDory
Flower Crab, Beansprout, Peanut
The flower crab with beansprout and peanut was visually deceiving but an absolute delight to savor.
It was a delicious flower crab wonton, and once again, I found myself craving half a dozen of these plump wontons swimming in that delicious gravy.
A bold, aromatic creation of Sting Ray, Ginger Flower, and Stinky Bean. Credit SmartDory
Sting Ray, Ginger Flower, Stinky Bean
We also experienced an unusual dish of stingray with ginger flower and stinky bean.
It takes a lot of skill for a chef to successfully manage stingray combined with the strong, pervasive, and lingering aroma of petai.
Chef Johnson’s use of marvelous torch ginger flower and fresh curry leaves imparts an intoxicating, hypnotizing fragrance to this beautiful dish.
A bold, aromatic creation of Sting Ray, Ginger Flower, and Stinky Bean. Credit SmartDory
Duck, Old Cucumber, Herbal
Old cucumber soup is such a nourishing, classic, slow-cooked Cantonese soup that always feels heartwarming and simple.
Chef Johnson’s modern twist on the recipe features grilled duck breast, dried enoki mushroom, slices of old cucumber, and a dusting of black garlic powder.
This anti-aging interpretation was both deeply satisfying and soul-warming.
A deeply comforting savory course of Duck, Old Cucumber, and rich Herbal notes. Credit SmartDory
The Desserts
Moving on to the sweet finishes, we had My Childhood Memory Part 1.
This is a brilliant interpretation of the chef’s favorite childhood dessert.
I also grew up enjoying a sweet pineapple twist with sauce and chili as a child!
The wicked twist that got me here was the slivers of leaves, with the darkest ones holding the sharp heat of the chili.
There was everything I didn’t expect in this dessert, including pickled pineapple juice with coriander, pineapple gelato, and crisp pineapple chips.
Just as the pineapple is such a versatile fruit, Chef Johnson showed immense versatility in creating something exciting from it.
I can’t wait to see the next metamorphosis of his favorite desserts!
A beautiful play on textures featuring Pickled Pineapple Juice with coriander, Pineapple Gelato, and crunchy Pineapple Chips. Credit SmartDory
“My Childhood Memory Part 2,”
Then came My Childhood Memory Part 2.
It turns out we share the exact same childhood dessert, apparently just with a two-decade difference!
I still love a big bowl of wilted guava pickled with sour plum most days.
Chef’s version features a smooth guava sorbet, freshly carved from a block of frozen deliciousness.
I really liked his version with the lime meringue and white chocolate topping.
As much as I hate to admit it publicly, I have a massive soft spot for desserts done right, and I loved this one because it lacked the heavy weight of santan and cream.
A refreshing palate cleanser of Guava Sorbet, Lime Meringue, and a light White Chocolate topping. Credit SmartDory
Tuak, Nutmeg, Gula Melaka
For the final finishing touch, we were served a nightcap of tuak, nutmeg, and gula melaka.
This tuak sorbet comes with rich gula melaka syrup, coconut flakes, and rose rice cake.
The server instructed me to blend the ingredients together for a flavorful, balanced taste with wonderful texture and delicate sweetness.
The ultimate finale to this beautiful dinner was a warm, comforting glass of nutmeg tea.
(Just as a quick note for context, this baseline 2019 tasting menu experience was originally priced at RM250+ with wine pairings available).
The unique and beautiful Tuak, Nutmeg, and Gula Melaka dessert course served on a wooden tray. Credit SmartDory
My Review Verdict on Gen Penang
Gen Penang is truly fine dining with spectacular local flavors.
Each dish is beautifully plated and celebrates the innovative concept of creating a genuinely Malaysian restaurant that honors fresh, local, and sustainable produce.
A Quick Cautionary Note
If you happen to have a peanut or shellfish allergy, or any other dietary restriction, do make sure to inform the culinary team before placing your order.
Some of the dishes contain crushed peanuts or rely on shellfish in their base preparations.
Where is Gen Penang?
You can find Gen Penang at 8 Gat Lebuh Gereja inside George Town, right within the beautiful grounds of The Prestige Hotel.
If you are planning a visit, they open for dinner from Wednesday through Sunday from 6 pm to 11 pm.
For those who love a leisurely afternoon experience, they also offer lunch from 12 pm to 3 pm on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Just keep in mind that the kitchen takes a break on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Book a Table You can secure your seats online at genpenang.com.
Gen Penang Map
Blog Disclosure: This is a sponsored blog post, but all opinions are entirely my own. Thank you so much to Gen Penang for the wonderful dinner invitation.
