PETALING JAYA, June 14 -- Remember when farm-to-table first burst onto the scene in restaurants throughout the Klang Valley? It's okay, me neither.

But then it got a rebrand: now, these restaurants have "seasonal" menus; the produce is "locally sourced" and "sustainable"; and each chef somehow has a personal connection with the farm even though they're all using the same few suppliers.

Alright, that last remark was a little unfair. You'll encounter this mostly in fine dining restaurants, occasionally in non-fine dining, but still modern, upscale concepts, and for the most part, I think it's a good thing.

Malaysia is blessed with the land and weather to produce great ingredients, and it should be highlighted more.

Up until recently, it...