LOCAL DELIGHTS: For most Malaysians, nothing beats a plate of roti canai or a bowl of laksa at the hawker stall, for breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper. But would a local dish still taste as great if it was prepared by a stranger from a foreign land? Food industry experts are divided on whether our local touch is needed in preparing local favourites, which have been part of our country’s heritage for centuries, Audrey Vijaindren discovers
YOU have been craving for a bowl of noodles in tangy, fish gravy for days. Come hell or high water, you will be paying homage to your favourite hawker stall to dig into a big, piping hot bowl of asam laksa. But as you sit yourself down in anticipation, you notice that the one dishing out your lunch is not the familiar, chatty aunty, but a foreigner.
Although you can’t put your finger on it, you know that there’s just something “off” about that bowl of asam laksa you just had.
Is it psychological?
Recently, there was an exchange of opinions after MCA Youth secretary-general Leong Sim Koon lambasted Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz for endorsing a proposal to bar foreign cooks from working in hawker stalls.
The suggestion was mooted by Penang Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, to preserve the authentic flavour of the state’s delicacies.
However, award-winning raw food chef Daisy Lee, 47, said it’s not about the nationality of the cook, but the passion for cooking, that makes a dish great.
“We should embrace people from all cultures and walks of life. After all, there are thousands of non-Japanese cooks doing great as chefs in renowned five-star Japanese restaurants and eateries. There are also Malaysian chefs holding top positions in international five-star restaurants, with many serving as personal chefs for celebrities.
“When all the ‘secret weapons’ of a recipe — the ingredients, measurements, technique and supervision— are implemented correctly from the beginning, by someone with a genuine passion for food and cooking, the dishes that are churned out will be of quality. Things can’t go wrong when a bond or relationship between the creator and his creation is cultivated from the beginning.”
This year’s first runner-up of the Super Chef cooking competition, Eddilyn Lim Pei Tsin, is of the same opinion.
“We all want to believe that only a true Malaysian can cook an authentic local dish. In the same manner, does that mean we can’t cook a good Italian meal, like spaghetti bolognaise or minestrone soup? Not true.
“Coming from a family of cooks, I believe that everything is learnable, otherwise there wouldn’t be so many culinary, cooking and baking schools out there, or millions of tips and recipes over the Internet. The only difference is a chef’s own drive for perfection in his or her cooking.”
She said if the owners of the eateries were diligent, there wouldn’t be issues with authenticity.
“Over time, the taste of local dishes cooked by foreigners may waver, but the onus is on the owner to perform daily food tastings to ensure quality control. After all, even local cooks can cook bad food.
“If owners treat their workers well, and ensure a happy environment, a win-win situation can exist, whoever the cook is,” said the 37 year old.
Shanmugam Rajoo, 33, who is known as Chef Shan to his students, concurred.
“As a lecturer in a university, I’ve mentored hundreds of students from various nationalities and backgrounds. With proper training and experience, people are capable of creating great Malaysian favourites. Many of my foreign students have moved on to work in popular restaurants and cafes. I strongly believe everyone can learn to cook our local delicacies with proper mentorship and guidelines.”
However, not all experts are on the
same page.
Celebrity chef, restaurateur and Universiti Technology Mara’s faculty of hotel and tourism management lecturer Kamarul Hasni Che Rose, known as Chef Kamarul, said although professionally-trained chefs without any Malaysian background were capable of reproducing local dishes, some foreigners were unable to understand the basic characteristics of our cuisine.
“From my past experience, most of the restaurants or stalls, especially food courts in shopping complexes, which hire foreign cooks, fail tremendously in providing authentic local dishes.
“Having said that, it would be unfair to claim that only a true Malaysian can cook authentic local dishes.
“If one has proper knowledge, derived from numerous training hours and vast experience, he or she will be able to understand the authentic way of preparing local dishes.
“For example, there are many Malaysians who are superbly talented and well-known chefs around the world who have mastered different types of cuisine.
“An Indian chef from Penang (the late Chef Siva) had won a dim sum cooking competition in China, while a Malay chef (Chef Jasman) was the first Asian chef to lead the Queen Elizabeth cruise a few years ago as their corporate chef, and a Chinese chef originally from Sarawak (Chef Pearl Woo) mastered Cuban cuisine.
“So, it can be achieved, but with tremendous training, hard work and experience.”
Kamarul believes that because our local dishes are so diverse and rich in culture, it’s more complex to master than other cuisine.
“Our local favourites have a long history, influenced by Malay, Chinese, Indian, Mamak, Nyonya, Peranakan and East Malaysian cuisine.
“Besides that, our food is influenced by countries which have colonised us, and of course, from neighbouring countries, such as Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.
“Each cuisine in this world has its own characteristics, and to master it in one day is impossible.
“The task of a cook or chef is to first respect the originality of the cuisine, learn from basics, gather experience, and try their best to master it with good intentions,” said
the 39 year old.
He said in order to preserve the authenticity of our local dishes, foreign cooks must be careful not to make modifications.
“There shouldn’t be changes based on their preferences, such as lack of heat, spices or other ingredients. They should also refrain from changing the method of cooking.
“However, based on my ongoing
PhD research in understanding consumer behaviour towards ethnic restaurant choices, results indicate that customers are more confident in the authenticity of the food, if it’s prepared by a cook or chef from the same ethnicity of the cuisine itself.”