Malaysia Hosts Successful Food Fair

In the picture H.E. Dato’ Ahmad Nazri Yusof, Ambassador of Malaysia to The Netherlands.

Text and pictures By Catherine Dailey.

Under sunny skies and a light breeze, H.E. Ambassador Dato’ Ahmad Nazri Yusof and his wife, Datin Linda Zin, welcomed both international and local “foodies” to the fourth annual Malaysian Food Fair on Saturday and Sunday, June 22-23.

Malaysia’s annual “foodie” weekend has quickly become a highly anticipated prelude to summer, as the fair provides an inpromptu “open house” opportunity for well-wishers from the diplomatic community to pass by and exchange informal greetings with one another before departing to the four corners of the world for their summer holidays.

Last weekend, high ranking diplomats, special guests, embassy personnel, the international community and members of the local community turned out, once again, in large numbers to the event where they enjoyed the company of one another while sampling authentic Malaysian cuisine.

The Malaysian kitchen features a culinary kaleidescope blend of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Arabic and Portuguese influences—making it “fusion” before “fusion” became fashionable and of interest to everyone who enjoys an international kitchen!

The success of the Ambassador’s gastronomic program was readily apparent by the standing room only crowds—many of whom arrived with personal containers. In “take away” fashion, the containers were carefully filled with culinary treasures to be transported to gourmets at home.

Pad Thai, Malaysian Beef Rendang and Malaysian Prawn or Chicken Laksa were among the many dishes available for sampling. Guests eagerly formed ques to purchase colorful sweets such as Pandan Cake, Klepon, Bingka Ubi, Seri Muka and countless other jewel like “Nyonya Kuih.”

It was a delightfully informal affair offering casual outdoor dining on the embassy’s well cared for grounds in a festive “street festival” atmosphere and even featured a Malaysian line dance lead by the Ambassador’s wife.

Celebrity Chef Norman bin Musa with Caroline C. Wimmers, Marketing for Foodies.

This year, Celebrity Chef Norman bin Musa gave cooking demonstrations on both Saturday and Sunday and also signed copies of his newly released “Magisch Maleisisch” Dutch cookbook. An English version of the cookbook titled, “Amazing Malaysia – Recipes for Vibrant Home Cooking,” was published previously and is available in both print and digital versions.

Foodies, who were unable to attend the Food Fair or who are interested in further exploring the Malaysian kitchen, are invited to visit Chef Norman’s concept restaurant and demonstration kitchen at the newly opened Wah Nam Hong Supermarket at the Leidensenhage Food Market. The Malaysian born chef is a restaurateur, entrepreneur, and television personality, whose mission is to introduce Malayasian cuisine, and with it, the country, to the European market.

Malaysia is a beautiful, safe and culturally diverse country with highly developed tourism products. The regions of Terengganu, known for the Terengganu Marine Park; Sarawak, where the oldest rainforest and largest cave chamber in the world are to be found and the glittering white sand beaches of the Desaru Coast are especially popular with foreign tourists.

International tourism continues to expand at an astonishing rate and next year, the country’s “Visit Malaysia 2020” campaign is expected to draw some 30 million international tourists to the country!.

Linda Zin spouse of the Malaysian Ambassador and Tatsiana Barysevich, spouse of Belarus Ambassador dancing at the Malaysian Food Fair. Embassy of Malaysia in The Hague, June 22, 2019.

If “gastronomic diplomacy” can be gauged as a medium for generating interest in a country, then the Malaysian Ambassador’s Food Fair was a resounding success and people are already looking forward to attending during the “VM 2020” year.