90D Redefines the Meaning of A Dinner Party with Light Artist Jun Ong and Chef Toraik Chua

We talk to chef Toraik Chua and light artist Jun Ong about 90D, the immersive dining experience taking KL by storm. 

Many of life’s joys are, unfortunately, fleeting. Seeing your favourite band live, hearing the spine of a book crack when you open it for the first time, being served a freshly baked croissant at the bakery—none of these are truly lasting. Yet, unlike the span of their existence, their effects stick with us beyond the moment itself, making an impact on who we are for long after. This notion of short-lived joy is exactly what 90D is like. 

After 90 days in service, the pop-up will shutter for good, leaving behind mere memories and a few photos in camera rolls. But for those who manage to score a seat during those 90 days, an immersive dining experience the KL skyline has yet to see awaits. Harnessing the power of light, sound, and taste, 90D takes what you know about dinner parties and gives you a three-plus-hour experience that will shake up your senses ice bath-style.  

The experience begins the moment you walk into the building and only ends as you step out. At its core are two elements: Big Bang, a light sculpture by local artist Jun Ong, and an eight-course menu by chef Toraik Chua, formerly of three Michelin-starred Zén in Singapore. Taking place in a never-before-used space in Conlay by E&O, 90D invites guests to break social barriers and engage in conversation amidst light, sound, and flavour. It doesn’t want to be seen as a restaurant, but instead, a carefully curated dinner party for those who appreciate the value of an all-encompassing experience. 

Chua and Ong—together with co-creators William Lee and Kent Chua—have worked tirelessly over the last few months to fine-tune what is now a pulsating atmosphere. To get a deeper understanding of it all, we spoke to Ong and Chua, who shared their individual perspectives on bringing 90D to life from different sides of the coin. 

A collaboration like this one is something that the KL dining and art landscapes have never seen before. How did it all begin?

Jun Ong (JO): I’ve always been fascinated by the relationship between light, space, and human perception. Working with Chef Toraik allowed us to explore how light could shape taste, mood, and awareness in a dining environment. The idea was to create something that couldn’t exist without both elements—art and cuisine working in dialogue.

Toraik Chua (TC): About 10 years ago, I was with a group of extremely talented chefs and one of the heated topics that came up was the fine line between hospitality and creativity in cooking. That conversation planted a seed in the back of my mind. Since then, I’ve always wanted to explore whether it could truly be both. When the opportunity came around, especially with the amazing local talent Jun Ong, I didn’t hesitate. I just said yes.

What drew each of you most to this project?

JO: I’ve always wanted to work on a pop-up, immersive dining experience, and 90D  is my first opportunity to do so. What drew me most to this project was the chance to explore how light—and the absence of it—can shape perception, mood, and even taste. I’m fascinated by how lighting and moments of sensory deprivation can heighten awareness, alter sensations, and create a space where guests connect with both the environment and their own senses in a new way.

TC: The opportunity to define art within the culinary arts. I’ve always drawn inspiration from my surroundings and this opportunity was no different—the building itself, the light sculpture, Jun’s thought process, even my own emotions. All of these elements feed into how I shape dining experiences and this project gave me the space to explore that interplay more deeply.

How long has this project been in the making and what were the stages of the project’s development if you had to give them names? 

JO: The project unfolded in four main stages very quickly after Kent Chua first approached me in May 2025. It was exciting to know that they immediately aligned with the more radical choice out of my two proposed options and subsequently pulled out all the stops to make it come to life.

The first stage was concept development, where I imagined the starburst and how light could fill and transform the space down to the design and materials of the tables and chairs. I had free reign of the entire creative direction of the dining experience. 

Next came production AKA creating the sculpture and integrating it with the raw architecture of the tower. Then we moved to programming, where we fine-tuned each light pixel and tested how it interacts with the space, the furniture, music and the guests. Finally, activation brought everything together, creating a live, immersive experience where light, space, and cuisine come together in a single, sensorial environment.

TC: The process on the ‘chef’ side is less flamboyant. There are no “stages” per se. For me, it’s one single job: to get it right, to make it perfect. Even now, the kitchen is still tweaking and refining the smallest details. I suppose that’s the hospitality-leasing component, which is something I’ll carry with me for a long time.

When it comes to food and cooking, it’s never just about ‘making it pretty’. The flavors, the seasonality of ingredients, the sensibility of the dishes, and the sequence—all of these come into play.

Why 90 days? Is there a significance behind the number?

JO: It was initially put forward by Kent and William, but I love this overall idea of a fleeting moment—before you know it, it’s gone. 90D reflects both impermanence and intensity. It’s long enough for the work to breathe and guests to experience multiple shifts in atmosphere, but short enough that it remains a singular, ephemeral event.

TC: Well, on the poetry side, the number 90 feels just right. Not abundant, but sufficient. Close to perfect, yet always leaving room to improve, to refine, to keep working on. But perhaps, in reality, it’s simply the right timing for all of us.

Is the light art complementary to the dining experience or vice versa? Alternatively, do you believe them to be symbiotic of each other? 

JO: To me, they’re symbiotic. The light sets the stage, the food responds to it, and vice versa. Conceptually, the sculpture came first — it dictated the feel of the space, the movement of guests, and the sensory layers. And there will be room for unexpected bursts of energy – hence the artwork’s name “Big Bang.”

TC: Take away the light and everything falls out of balance. Introducing a light sculpture shifts that balance again, transforming how guests perceive and experience the food. 

Has this sort of experience been something you have had in mind for a while or was it a completely new challenge you wanted to explore?

JO: I’ve explored immersive light works before, but integrating it into fine dining was completely new. The challenge was to make it feel intuitive as I am a foodie too. And it was great to work with chef TC and paint his story and food journey through my work.

TC: It’s definitely not new to me. But for something like this to work, it always comes down to the right moment, the right opportunity, and the right chemistry. That’s what makes the challenge meaningful.

Jun, having completed works around the world from Shanghai, China to Portland, Oregon—what made this one different from the rest?

JO: This one is intimate yet monumental—a quiet void transformed into a living environment. It’s also temporary which gives it a fleeting, almost cosmic, urgency. Every element, from furniture to food, is activated by the sculpture. It’s less about spectacle and more about shared discovery. And to create this on home turf is an honour. 

Chef TC, when coming up with the menu, do you take into account the light art and your space? Take us through the development process.

TC: Everything matters—the temperature of the room, the number of steps from the kitchen’s pass to the first seat. Then comes the dialogue with Jun: what mood fits each dish, which tracks or sounds make sense with the light and food, the intention behind certain light combinations, and which dish they should pair with.

What would you like to walk away from this 90D experience with?

JO: I hope guests leave with curiosity and awe — an understanding that light, space, and perception can transform not just a room, but how we experience something as simple and profound as a meal. And to also relook at our city (physically and metaphorically) from a completely new vantage point.

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