To Taste Malaysia is to Love Malaysia
Rasa Sayang Malaysia
This year, the Malaysia Food Festival 2008 was held in Chile from 25 November - 4 December 2008 with a difference. Unlike previous Malaysia Food Festivals in Chile, the chef was not attached to any specific hotels. The purpose was to share and demonstrate Malaysian cooking to interested parties rather than merely diners interested in eating Malaysian food. This was also to give much coverage to more Chilean market at all levels.
The Festival was co-sponsored by Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines including Wisma Putra. The chef for the Festival was Chef Rene Juefri Johan from Kuzie Catering Sdn. Bhd. Chef Rene graduated from the Universiti Institute Teknologi Malaysia (UiTM) with a degree in Culinary Science and Hospitality. He was awarded the Best Student for 2008.
During the ten day Food Festival, Chef Rene made two television appearances in national and local channels, cooking demonstrations organised in three different cities, i.e. Santiago, Valparaiso and Concepción, in cooperation with University and Institute of Technology Chile (INACAP), Institute of Professional and Center of Technical Formation University of Chile (DuOc) and International School of Culinary Arts and Services. All three establised and renowned institutions offer Culinary as a degree course.
The cooking demonstrations at institutions that offer culinary/gastronomy programmes provided excellent platform to introduce, educate and cultivate future Chilean chefs on the fine culinary Malaysian dishes.
As Chilean food does not generally use spices, many were impressed on importance of it in Malaysian cooking. Some are aware that few of the ingredients such as lemon grass, kaffir lime leave and galangal are available in Chile (mostly in oriental shops) but many do not know how to use it. The cooking demonstration was an eye-opener and hopefully would encourage more Chileans to try Malaysian or Asian cooking.
Two most popular items during the festival were roti canai and teh tarik. Many inquired if they can purchase ready-made roti canai or teh tarik tea powder in Chile. This may open path to bringing Malaysian food product in Chile.
The Malaysia Food Promotion in Valparaiso, a coastal town and resort 100 km away from Santiago, with the participation of two Chilean restaurants was a success. Due to positive responses especially the Malaysian dessert - Bubur pulut hitam with coconut ice-cream, both restaurants have decided to include it in their permanent dessert menu. Now, a Malaysian dessert has found its way in Chilean menu.
In addition to promoting Malaysian cuisine, Chef Rene has established some contacts with Chilean chefs including from the Association of Gastronomy of Chile. Malaysia has been invited to attend the World Association of Chefs Congress (WACS) in Chile in 2010.
For further article on the cooking demonstration at the Residence, please see: www.kln.gov.my/perwakilan/santiago/news/2321
There is no love sincerer than the love of food.
George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)
TV station in Santiago
TV station in Santiago. School children were invited to see the morning show.
TV station in Santiago
TV station in Concepcion
INACAP, Concepcion (second largest city after Santiago)
Demonstration in front of his peers - the Chefs from various hotels in Concepcion
DUOC Culinary School in Santiago
DUOC Culinary School in Santiago
City of Valparaiso
In Valparaiso
In Valparaiso
In Valparaiso
Evening in Valparaiso
Culinary School in Santiago
Culinary School in Santiago
INACAP Valparaiso
INACAP Valparaiso
INACAP Valparaiso
INACAP Valparaiso
Residence
Residence
www.kln.gov.my/perwakilan/santiago