AN AFTERNOON OF MALAYSIAN GASTRONOMY – A CULINARY JOURNEY
On 16 September 2022, the Embassy of Malaysia in Paris hosted ‘An Afternoon of Malaysian Gastronomy – A Culinary Voyage’ at Rumah Malaysia. In conjunction with Malaysia Day, people from all walks of life and background were invited to come together to celebrate Malaysian food, culture and heritage.
In his opening remarks, H.E. Dato’ Mohd Zamruni Khalid, Ambassador of Malaysia to France drew similarities between Malaysia and France whereby good food is appreciated and is pride of the nation. To this end, he was pleased to bring a taste of Malaysia to Parisians and invited the visitors to enjoy the culinary journey and soak in the cultural experience.
The invitees were Parisians active in the arts and culture scene including artists, journalists, actors, musicians, writers, chefs and sports personalities. Among notable visitors who participated were chef Mohamed Cheikh winner of Top Chef 2021 in France, celebrity chef Cyril Rouquet-Prévost, MMA fighter Elias Mahmoudi, influencer Justin Merle (justunfrenchie), journalist Rokhaya Diallo, actor Abel Jafri and film director Yamina Benguigui.
The visitors who came were given a cooking demonstration of a three-course Malaysian meal. For the appetizer, visitors were shown how to marinate, skew and grill Satay. Next, they were presented with tips and tricks to cook fluffy, aromatic Nasi Lemak and its accompanying Sambal Tumis. No meal is complete without dessert and guests were exposed to the intricacies of preparing Puding Raja.
Next, the visitors were treated to a sumptuous meal of the three Malaysian favourites and the sounds of traditional gamelan and joget music. The visitors also had the chance to try their hands at making Malaysian’s all time favourite drink – Teh Tarik.
Before the afternoon came to an end, the visitors had the opportunity to photograph themselves in a traditional Malay kitchen set up for display. As a parting gift, the visitors were presented with sagun kelapa, Malaysian tea, batik diary and bookmark and a bottle of palm oil as souvenirs.
The Embassy of Malaysia in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia has been actively promoting Malaysian food and culture in France. From 1 to 4 September 2022, Malaysia participated in the Village Gastronomie International at Jardin du Trocadéro, Paris, promoting authentic all-time local favorites such as Satay, Nasi Lemak, Karipap and Aiskrim Malaysia. The making of Ais Batu Campur (ABC) and Teh Tarik were also demonstrated on site much to the delight of the visitors. Apart from food, Malaysia showcased Silat Gayung Fatani. The annual event, under the high patronage of French President Emmanuel Macron, drew almost 50K visitors after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
BERNAMA
BOH Tea
Mohamed Cheikh
Cyril Rouquet-Prévost
17 September 2022