Foreign cooks and the future of Malaysian cuisine


(From left) Farid, Aida and Lee exchanging ideas during the podcast.

DO FOREIGN workers have a place behind the woks of Malaysia’s beloved hawker stalls?

This episode of Life & The City tackles the hot-button topic of Selangor government’s proposed ban on foreign cooks in eateries serving local food, a move already being practised in Penang.

Hosts Aida Ahmad and Farid Wahab are joined by Malaysia Hawkers and Petty Traders Association executive advisor Datuk Lee Teong Chwee to delve into the complexities of the issue.

Is barring foreign workers discriminatory? Does allowing them to cook constitute cultural appropriation?

Will a ban truly safeguard the authenticity of Malaysia’s iconic dishes?

The Life & The City podcast series, which airs fortnightly, addresses current and social issues impacting urbanites.

It is available to watch on www.thestar.com.my/metro and on The Star’s YouTube channel (@thestaronline).

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podcast , Life & The City

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