By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, July 31: The wide range of food and tastes showcased at Kuching Food Festival (KFF) 2023 make the event unique, and through food innovation, we must not forget the roots of the authentic taste of Sarawak, opines chef consultant and nomad chef Achang Libat.
Achang said people from all walks of life throng the KFF venue because they want to taste the variety of new dishes prepared in innovative ways which catch their attention as they had never eaten them before.
“As a chef, I’ve never come across all these dishes, and I am amazed by their names. This 35th edition of the festival is only for three weeks and is a good way for the participating vendors to make money.
“They probably make more than what they could make in a year, so, it is kudos to them,” he told DayakDaily when met at the KFF venue yesterday.
Achang who honed his craft at Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney, Australia and also Taylor’s College, Kuala Lumpur, further opined that such a festival would certainly encourage vendors in the food industry to be more innovative and optimistic in food preparation.
“This will allow players to better market and sell their products and know what consumers want in the food and diet. The festival is getting better, more popular and bringing visitors from far and near.
“We hope KFF would become a tourism product as a food gastronomy destination in this region, make our signature dishes like the delectable kolo mee, laksa or even the native “pansuh” (food cooked in bamboo culm) dishes to a greater level, more popular and get innovative impetus.
“KFF could make Sarawak food industry players and all of Sarawak proud and put us on the world map.
“As a chef, I would like food industry players to know better how to use local ingredients and how people want their food served. All this would suit and bring convenience to their lifestyle and comfort.
“This festival is giving us in the food industry a better learning curve and to know our customers better, and as far as possible to bring the usage of traditional authentic ingredients to another level,” he opined.
Achang said that KFF will continue to ensure that Kuching City which has been designated as a Unesco “City of Gastronomy” upholds the status and that the players in the local food industry will continue innovating local culinary traditions.
He reminded younger innovative local chefs that with so many international dishes and palates in a city like Kuching, as chefs and players in the food industry, they must not forget their rich cultural heritage and the roots of Sarawak food.
“Let us (chefs) not forget, no matter how innovatively we prepare and present our food to the world, we must not let go of the authenticity of the root of our palates, and we should be proud of it,” he said. — DayakDaily
