KUCHING: The Serumpun Sarawak gastronomy programme is seen as a strategic platform to elevate the state's traditional food and culinary heritage to the international level.

Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the programme proved that Sarawak had its own uniqueness to showcase to the world through the combination of food, culture and the diversity of its society.

According to him, Sarawak, which has 34 ethnic groups, offers an extraordinary cultural and gastronomic richness that has great potential in the food tourism industry.

"If we look at it from a gastronomic perspective, there is too much that can be showcased. It is a 'melting pot' of cultural clashes, a clash of various things that we can offer to the world," he said.

He said this when met by reporters during the Serumpun Sarawak event at the Sarawak Cultural Village, here, on Wednesday.

He added that the involvement of international celebrity chefs such as Chef James Won also helped expand the reach of Sarawak's gastronomy promotion to the global level.

According to him, Chef James Won not only has a great influence in the culinary world, but also has an international network that can be used to introduce Sarawak's traditional ingredients and dishes to an external audience.

Commenting on the possibility of expanding the Serumpun Sarawak programme in the future, Dato Sri Abdul Karim said that the matter would be examined based on the response received, including interest from other parties who began approaching the ministry after the initiative was introduced.

"Food is a major factor because wherever you go, you definitely want to try local food.

"Sarawak has a lot of foods because we have so many different ethnic groups, and each has its own dishes.

"Pansoh, Midin, Umai. Look, there are so many and sometimes we don't realise that all of these are considered exotic by the outside world, and we need celebrity chefs, those who are known internationally, to bring it forward," he said.

He gave the example of how the late famous international chef, Anthony Bourdain once spoke about Laksa Sarawak, thus making the dish more known to the world.

Also present were Deputy Ministers for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Datuk Snowdan Lawan and Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew, Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) Chairman Dato Dennis Ngau, Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) Chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Morshidi Frederick and other dignitaries. -UKASnews

Prepared By: Ahmad Daniel Faiz
Translator: Nerissa Sia