Lee Eng Su, the 40-year-old chef and co-founder of the celebrated nasi lemak restaurant The Coconut Club has died.

He died in his sleep at home on Thursday, Sep. 12, CNA Lifestyle reported.

He was not married.

His family initially declined to reveal to the media the cause of death.

The Coconut Club at Ann Siang Road, and its sister restaurant Belimbing Superstar at Ann Siang Hill, closed on Friday and will re-open on Tuesday.

Belimbing Superstar has been open for only three weeks.

It specialises in Peranakan economy rice.

Coconut Club shot to fame

The Coconut Club opened in 2016.

It became well-known after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hosted Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to a meal there shortly after its opening.

In 2018, it picked up a Bib Gourmand award.

How Coconut Club got established

The late Lee attended a nasi lemak convention in Kuala Lumpur in 2014.

He was inspired to create his own perfect version of the dish subsequently.

His artisanal nasi lemak was made with coconut milk extracted from "single-origin" Mawa coconuts harvested from a specific plantation in Selangor, he told 8 Days.

On the 2018 Bib Gourmand win, Lee told CNA Lifestyle: “We are so happy and quite shocked. “It was never the intention to get on the list, so we will continue doing what we’ve always been doing, improve where we can and see how it goes”.

Coconut Club staff media spoke to remember Lee as a good and caring boss.

Tributes to the late Lee have surfaced online.

Friends and family have requested for privacy during this difficult time: