Bunches of fun await at Johor’s food awards

The 2,000kg cake is topped with fresh grapes.

IN A move to shine a spotlight on Johor’s vibrant and diverse culinary scene, Tourism Johor has unveiled plans to host the Majestic Johor Food Awards next year.

Tourism Johor director Sharil Nizam Abdul Rahim said the event, slated for Feb 22, 2025, promised to be a feast for the senses, celebrating the best of the state’s gastronomic delights.

“Johor offers a wide variety of delicious food – from Malay, Chinese and Indian food to authentic ethnic and western cuisines – we have it all.

“The objective of the award is to recognise such offerings and I invite all food and beverage operators as well as chefs to take part in the event,” he said when attending a Malaysia Day celebration at a shopping complex in Taman Sutera Utama, Johor Baru.

He said the food awards would be a build-up to the 2026 Visit Johor Year campaign.

“We hope that the list of food award winners will help tourists to better plan their gastronomic adventure in Johor,” he added.

At the event, Sharil Nizam also witnessed the unveiling of a 2,000kg cake, made by 50 chefs, which set a new national record for the longest grape cake.

(Top) The 2,000kg cake is topped with fresh grapes. Sharil Nizam (left) and Mohd Nazrul cutting the cake which made it into the Malaysia Book of Records.

Decorated with fresh grapes, the confectionery masterpiece, spanning 24m in length, 1.2m in width and 10cm tall, secured a spot in the Malaysia Book of Records.

Sharil Nizam said the cake represented unity and collaboration, requiring the shared endeavour of chefs, volunteers and various organisations to achieve the feat.

Organised by Elenganz Culinary Academy, the event attracted a sizeable queue of shoppers eager to take a piece of the record-breaking dessert home.

Malaysia Book of Records official Mohd Nazrul Hafizi Ahmad Fauzi presented the certificate of recognition to the academy’s executive chef Michael Ooi.

Ooi said the cake required approximately 20 hours to bake and assemble.

Grapes were chosen for their symbolic association with prosperity and festivity, deemed suitable for the Malaysia Day celebration.

After the event, the giant cake was divided, packed and distributed to the shoppers to enjoy with their families and friends.