A Bornean Indigenous Dining Experience

A BORNEAN INDIGENOUS DINING EXPERIENCE WITH CHEF MARGE

Venue: Temu House, PJDate: 14 Aug 2026 Time: 6:00pm
Fee: RM130/pax

Come taste the indigenous flavours of Borneo in this private dining experience with Chef Marge. From linopot to tuhau and jantung pisang, Chef Marge gives us a glimpse into the culinary traditions that have been passed down through generations.

About Chef Marge:Chef Marge is a culinary artist from Sabah, who specializes in indigenous cuisine, as her way of preserving heritage.

Bibi Margaret Gohulu, is the founder of Marge’s Kĭch′ən. What began as a part-time venture in 2014 has evolved into a dedicated mission to preserve Bornean heritage through the medium of food.

Her work is centered on the belief that food is a "living heritage" and a "love letter to the land". She aims to save traditional recipes for "moments that matter," ensuring the wisdom of previous generations is kept alive.

Marge focuses on indigenous Bornean cuisine, often incorporating locally sourced and foraged ingredients like wild herbs and seasonal produce.

Beyond cooking, she is an enthusiast in food fermentation, preservation, and canning, frequently conducting cooking workshops to share these traditional skills.

Linopot, translated rice in a leaf is a cherished traditional staple food deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of Sabah’s indigenous communities - most notably the Kadazan-Dusun, Murut, and Rungus tribes.

Grounded in centuries of agricultural tradition, Linopot is more than just a meal; it is a blend of ancestral wisdom, practical design, and rich local flavours.

Linopot was originally created as a convenient, portable meal for farmers, hunters, and travelers. Designed to be carried during long journeys or full days of fieldwork, its natural leaf wrapping served as an eco-friendly container that kept the food fresh and easy to eat on the go.

The dish consists of cooked rice often mixed with root crops like yam, sweet potato, or cassava, or traditional hill rice varieties like purple rice or Beras Wangi compacted and tightly wrapped in broad forest leaves such as Doringin, Longkobung or Tarap leaves. The leaf wrapping acts as a natural preservative and infuses the warm rice with a distinct, aromatic, earthy aroma.

Linopot is traditionally served alongside a robust spread of indigenous Sabahan side dishes that offer a vibrant mix of tangy, savoury and smoked flavours such as:

- Preserved Delicacies: Tuhau (wild ginger), Bambangan (wild mango pickle), and No’nsom/Bosou (fermented fish, meat or vegetables).

- Cooked Dishes: Pinarasakan (braised fish simmered with turmeric and wild fruit), braised local vegetables, and Kinoring Sada To'sin (salted fish).

- Smoked Specialties: Linugu or Sinalau (traditionally grilled or smoked meat or fish).

The Menu

Carbs

1. Linopot Naig

Steamed rice mashed together with soft-boiled sweet potatoes, wrapped in freshly harvested Doringin leaves.

Protein and condiment

2. Hinava Sada

A classic local salad, featuring raw mackerel (tenggiri), which is traditionally cured in lime juice.

3. Stir fry beef Tuhau

Wok-fried beef slices infused with Tuhau: Borneo wild ginger paste and aromatics.

4. Daun Ubi Tumbuk

Borneo's favourite rainforest green. Pounded fresh cassava leaves, sautéed with flavorful herbs, yield a distinctly earthy and savory, umami-rich flavor.

5. Sup Tarajun

Clear "Tarajun" chicken broth traditional Sabahan-style captures the effortless, wholesome essence of Bornean home cooking - light, refreshing and satisfying.

6. Serondeng Jantung Pisang

A dry condiment inspired by South Eastern Maritime, it is made with sautéed banana blossoms in coconut milk, seasoned with aromatic spices.

7. Fried Vegetable Bosou

A traditional, fermented condiment that is part of the indigenous Kadazan-Dusun cuisine in Sabah. It is made via a process that involves preserving vegetables with salt, white rice, and Pangi (Keluak) fruit.

8. Tuhau Pickles

A traditional Sabahan condiment, 

Tuhau: wild ginger pickled with chili, lime juice, and salt. 

Dessert

9. Pais Jagung

A traditional steamed cake wrapped in corn or banana leaves is made from sweet corn kernels, flour, coconut milk, and sugar.