BERJAYA University College’s Contribution Towards the Preservation of Malaysian Culinary Masterpieces
Visitors to Malaysia will be spoilt for choice when it comes to sampling traditional local cuisines. Being a cultural melting pot of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan cultures to name a few, Malaysia is “Truly Asia.”
BERJAYA University College (BERJAYA UC) is the first University College given approval by the Ministry of Education Malaysia to offer the “Diploma in Heritage Cuisine (JPT/BPP (N/811/4/0245) 01/20 (PA 4914)”. The programme offers students courses such as Fundamentals of Heritage Cuisine, Malaysian Ethnic Cuisine, Aseana Cuisine, Asian Kuih and Dessert, Advanced Heritage Cuisine and Heritage Cuisine Research and Innovation which includes heritage dishes from East Malaysia.
“The Diploma in Heritage Cuisine is a 2-year programme showcasing authentic Malaysian food and cooking styles. This will focus on local ingredients, spices, traditional cooking tools and equipment. BERJAYA UC, as a niche University College, has developed this programme to create awareness on Malaysian heritage cuisine by understanding the rich history behind the dishes through theory classes and practical cooking experiences.” Mae Ho, Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of BERJAYA Higher Education Sdn Bhd remarked.
“It is important that students understand the traditional cooking styles that have been passed on from one generation to another. The mixture of our locally grown aromatic herbs, spices mixed with locally made pastes and coconut milk evokes memories of our forefathers’ cooking and will be a legacy to our children. For example our rendang: with the use of different herbs and spices, cuts of meat and various cooking methods, our rendang will take the world by storm. Through this programme, we create documentation than can be handed down to our children, grandchildren and succeeding generations. Whether its traditional cooking or re-creating dishes through modern innovation, these are our traditional culinary masterpieces, this is our heritage. When you mention Italian, French Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indochinese cuisines, people know about it. When it comes to our cuisine, it’s not as widely known in the world map. Our unique Peranakan cuisine which are from Chinese migrants who settled in Penang and Malacca and intermarrying with local Malays created the Nyonya style of cooking by blending Chinese ingredients with various distinct spices and cooking techniques used by the Malay/Indonesian community. Therefore, DBKL’s Big Kitchen Festival 2015 is an amazing initiative to showcase our culinary masterpieces” Mae Ho added.
