Lim (front row, left), with the certificate from Guinness World Records declaring the Malaysia Culinary World Cup 2023 as the world’s largest cooking competition. With him are celebrity chef Liza Zainol (centre) and Subramaniam Velu who were part of the organising team. – ONG SOON HIN/The Star
THREE days, 713 participants, 65 categories, 90 judges and nine months of planning.
These were the crucial numbers that entered the Malaysia Culinary World Cup 2023 into Guinness World Records (GWR) as the world’s largest cooking competition.
Malaysia Bersatu Culinary Association (MBCA) president and organising chairperson Arthur Lim heaved a huge sigh of relief as he accepted the certificate from GWR adjudicator John Garland, who was at the event to ensure the rules were observed.
“We nearly did not get placed as we had yet to settle on the final overall team that had the most points on the third and last day of the competition.
“GWR gave us a 4pm deadline but we managed to hand in the result by 1.30pm,” said Lim.
He described the event as an exhausting experience which saw the organising team getting three hours of sleep a day, especially in the week leading up to the competition, due to the arrival of international participants.
The former executive chef, who is now a culinary consultant, revealed that it cost RM600,000 to organise the event.
Home cooks, hawker stall owners, food truck operators, culinary school students and professional chefs from South-East Asia, Middle East and North Africa competed.
“Interestingly, the Saudi Arabian team was seen cooking nasi lemak and mee mamak during the competition,” said Lim.
As MBCA’s first event, the Malaysia Culinary World Cup 2023 saw contestants battling for points in categories like nasi lemak, Hainan coffee, Indian curry and curry noodles.
Among the participants who scored enough points to be awarded medals were John Chang, who sells curry noodles in a coffeeshop in Taman Overseas Union, Kuala Lumpur, and Oscar Saw, who sells Hainan coffee from a food truck.
Chang got a gold medal for his meatless curry broth while Saw garnered a silver for his version of Hainan coffee with baked desiccated coconut, gula Melaka and boba pearls.
Saw’s friend, Sin Wen Cheng, received a silver medal in the same category for his cheese Hainan coffee entry.
Another contestant seen at the event was veteran restaurateur-turned-home caterer May Miranda, whose Prawn Thoran, a Malayalee dish with grated coconut, chilli and cumin earned her a silver medal.
May, who also teaches cooking classes, said her decision to take part in the historic event stemmed from a desire to ensure her recipes would survive her.
“I don’t want to take my recipes to the grave,” said the mother of three.
Judges David Choo and Michael Koh said that they felt a keen sense of eagerness among participants.
“It was a chance for everyone to show that they could cook.
“The Covid-19 pandemic saw a growth in the number of home-based cooks and this event has encouraged many of them to show off their skills.
“Many were also here for the exchange of ideas and networking,” said Choo, who has 52 years of experience in the industry.
Based on a point system, marks were awarded to the contestants for preparation, hygiene and taste, among other criteria.
Contestants were awarded medals according to the number of points accrued, which meant that a category could see up to two or three gold medallists.
Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, who was present for the event at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, said it made perfect sense for Malaysia to hold a world record in gastronomy, given its reputation as a gourmand nation.
The competition was endorsed by Tourism Malaysia and MBCA intends to make it an annual event, to be held abroad in the future.
