Kwen, a report in The Star said, was believed to be the first female Malaysian chef to win a Michelin star, a hallmark of fine dining quality.

According to The Star, the Michelin Guide, on its website on March 7, described Liew and Naito’s achievement as a “beautiful story of two Asian chefs getting their first Michelin star”.

It added: “Just seven months after opening their restaurant, Japanese Ryunosuke Naito (who trained at some of the most prestigious restaurants in Paris – including Taillevent and Le Meurice) and Malaysian Kwen Liew were awarded a Michelin Star for their interpretations of French cuisine.

“Naito carefully and expertly transforms market-fresh ingredients into succulent classical French dishes, brushing away the cobwebs of tradition along the way.”

Located in Paris, Pertinence opened its doors in March 2017. Kwen and Naito offer classical French cuisine prepared with a twist through Japanese techniques.

A total of 57 new restaurants were added to the 2018 Michelin Guide France, making up a total of 621 Michelin-starred restaurants in the country.

The Michelin Guide, established in 1900, awards restaurants a star based on a three-star model. The first star indicates a very good restaurant, a second star means it has “excellent cooking, worth a detour”, and a third star shows that the food served has “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”.