Festival to promote Sandakan food heritage

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s Sandakan district will be organising its first food festival, promising an extraordinary culinary experience for all come August and September.

Themed “Oceans, Land and Forests,” the food festival will serve a culinary selection that is uniquely Sandakan and Sabahan from Aug 26 to Sept 2.

Sandakan Food Festival coordinator Anton Ngui said the festival would see cuisines of all types ranging from Chinese, Malay, Kadazan-Dusun, and other ethnic styles of cooking for sale and sampling.

He said the event was expected to attract both local and international food lovers and experts.

“The reason why we are having this festival is to bring together culinary stakeholders from all sectors and to use this platform to invite and introduce our varied cuisines to an international audience,” he said.

Ngui said the festival, to be held at Bandar Kim Fung carpark, would be organised by Sandakan Tourism Association (STAN) and backed by Sandakan Good Food Club.

“It is a community-driven effort to promote the town of Sandakan and encourage local communities to rediscover their food heritage,” he said.

Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry, Sabah Tourism Board, Sandakan Municipal Council and community leaders of the district are also involved in the festival.

Those interested to showcase and sell their cuisines can do so by contacting Ngui at 012-20701044 or CK Teo at 014-3575908 or email to [e-mail] or visit Sandakanfoodfest Facebook.