Why are so many steaming mad over MasterChef judge’s ‘crispy’ rendang comment?
A British chef criticising Malaysian-born contestant Zaleha Kadir Olpin about her rendang rankled for its overtones of neo-colonialism. But it also begs the question: is a UK television programme the right place to look for authenticity?
If there is one lesson we have all learned this week, it is not to mess with Southeast Asia’s authentic cuisine, especially if you are a celebrity MasterChef judge thousands of miles away in Britain.
The reality cooking show sparked a social media storm when Malaysian-born contestant Zaleha Kadir Olpin served spicy chicken rendang alongside her nasi lemak, a traditional dish from her home country, in the quarter-final.
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“The skin isn’t crispy. It can’t be eaten but all the sauce is on the skin I can’t eat,” MasterChef UK judge Gregg Wallace complained during the recent episode, as both he and fellow judge John Torode turned down the chicken accompaniment.
Olpin was later eliminated from the competition because of the offending non-crispy chicken.
Stewing over the comments, foodies, prime ministers and everyday Malaysians, Singaporeans, Indonesians and Bruneians vented their fury on social media. Because, let’s face it, “crispy” is not often associated with a rendang – a rich dry curry that requires meat (poultry or beef) to be slow-cooked in Asian spices and coconut milk.
