By Karen Bong
KUCHING, March 7: The annual Kuching Food Festival will return this year from July 22 to Aug 16, with the event expected to be bigger and more international as participants from dozens of countries have been invited to join the celebration of Sarawak’s culinary diversity.
Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Mayor Wee Hong Seng announced the dates during his ShallWeeTalk Facebook Live session today, noting that the festival will start on July 22, coinciding with Sarawak Day.
“With that, the festival period has been extended by two additional days this year so that the celebration can begin on the significant State holiday.
“We want to mark July 22 as a very special day for Sarawak and celebrate it together. That is why the festival will start on that day this year,” he said.
Wee also announced that applications for food stalls will open Monday (March 10) and close on March 17 at 4pm.
Interested vendors must collect and submit their application forms with the required documents, including a completed application form, photocopies of trade licence from the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) or registered company documents, as well as clear colour photographs of each type of food they intend to sell at the festival food fair.
Applications are currently open for half stalls, single stalls and premium stalls.
“Due to the extension of the festival by two days, the half stall fee has been adjusted from RM650 to RM700, while other rates remain largely consistent with previous years,” he explained.
The fees are set at RM700 for half stalls, RM1,000 for single stalls and RM3,900 for premium stalls, with a refundable deposit of RM300 required for all applicants.
Wee encouraged vendors to submit creative and unique food offerings, saying the organising committee hopes to introduce more innovative dishes to festivalgoers.
He explained that the council will first select stalls based on the uniqueness and creativity of their food, while applications offering similar items may be decided through a lucky draw process to ensure fairness.
“We hope people will not just repeat the same dishes every year. Use this opportunity to present traditional food in a more creative way, whether through new ingredients, presentation or adapting international styles while keeping a Sarawak identity,” he said.
Wee added that the festival serves as a platform for local vendors to test public reception for their culinary ideas and showcase Sarawak’s rich gastronomic culture.
“This year’s edition will also feature a strong international component, with representatives from 65 cities across more than 30 countries invited to participate in conjunction with an international gathering expected to take place in Kuching in mid-August,” he said.
The event will feature both local and international cuisines, with a designated area for foreign participants.
“In addition, 10 international chefs are expected to fly in for the festival, and a gala dinner is being planned as part of the programme,” he added.
Wee expressed hope that the expanded international presence would encourage more locals to take part and showcase the uniqueness of Sarawak’s food heritage to a global audience. — DayakDaily
