BBC Chef Julie Lin launches new Tacos Lah kitchen at Bonnie & Wild
“A Bold and Bright Exploration of Malaysian Cuisine and Tacos”
BBC One Chef Julie Lin has opened her latest concept, Tacos Lah, at Edinburgh’s Bonnie & Wild. The Scottish chef said her new kitchen “explores the unexpected connections between the cuisines of Malaysia and Mexico, bringing together two food cultures united by a shared love of bold flavours, dried chillies, vibrant herbs and deeply rooted traditions”.
Launching last night at a VIP showcase at Bonnie & Wild, Tacos Lah is a celebration of flavour, memory, curiosity and cultural identity, with the menu reimagining Mexican street food through the lens of Lin’s Malaysian heritage, creating dishes that feel both familiar and entirely new.
Lin, who’s a regular on BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen, said her new Tacos Lah project is a natural evolution of her culinary journey, which has drawn on her experience growing up between cultures.
“I’ve grown up with fusion cuisine all of my life. Food makes me feel connected to a place,” says Lin. “Despite Malaysia and Mexico being geographically miles apart, there are so many similarities in the way both countries approach flavour. The deep respect for dried chillies, acidity, smoke and punchy seasonings is incredibly inspiring as a chef.”
Rather than blending cuisines for novelty, Tacos Lah seeks to uncover the natural threads that already exist between them. Malaysia’s complex spice pastes, fragrant herbs and street food culture sit comfortably alongside Mexico’s rich traditions of corn, chillies and regional cooking, creating a menu that feels thoughtful, playful and rooted in respect for both culinary histories.
The menu includes sambal pork tacos with pineapple salsa, slow-cooked lemongrass beef birria served with a richly spiced dipping broth, and a prawn tostada inspired by the nostalgic flavours of prawn toast. There are playful touches throughout, including salt-and-chilli potato smilies, proving that serious flavour and a sense of fun can happily coexist on the same plate.
“I’m deeply in love with my Malaysian roots, and this feels like a really exciting opportunity to explore the incredible range of ingredients found across Mexico and Malaysia and respectfully bring them together,” says Lin. “Tacos Lah is about finding common ground through food and creating something that tells a story. And brings a smile to people’s faces.”
Ryan Barrie, Managing Director of Bonnie & Wild, said: “We’re so excited to have Julie Lin join us within Bonnie & Wild. Her Tacos Lah, celebrating Malaysian and Mexican cuisines, is simply brilliant. Julie’s presence is a fantastic new addition to the incredible line-up of award-winning chefs and entrepreneurs operating within our Scottish Marketplace.”
Julie Lin is one of Scotland’s most exciting culinary voices, known for her vibrant, flavour-driven cooking that draws inspiration from her Malaysian-Chinese heritage and Scottish upbringing. A chef, broadcaster and restaurateur, Lin has built a reputation for championing East and South-East Asian flavours while celebrating Scotland’s produce and hospitality culture. She is a regular on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and has cooked for the likes of Dame Judi Dench and Netflix’s Somebody Feed Phil.
Through her restaurants, television appearances and writing, she has become a leading advocate for modern Scottish cooking shaped by multicultural influences. Tacos Lah represents her most personal project to date: an exploration of identity, migration, heritage and the powerful connections that can be found between cuisines separated by oceans but united through flavour.
