Junda Khoo grew up in Penang, a Malaysian state renowned for its food scene. Now settled in Sydney, he owns four Malaysian restaurants, each repping a slightly different aspect of his native cuisine, from street food to inventive high-end dining.

In October he’ll open his first Melbourne restaurant, also called Ho Jiak, across three levels on Bourke Street. On the ground floor, look out for hawker market staples like nasi lemak and char kway teow. On the middle floor, he’s planning creative twists on familiar flavours, like putting laksa broth inside dumplings. On the top floor, there’ll be a beer hall with big, shareable dishes.