Sarawakian chefs showcase skills at World National Tapas competition in Kuching
Zulhizan prepares his sago flour-based tapas mixed with coconut and filled with prawns and a creamy, cheesy Sarawak laksa core. – Photo by Mohd Faisal Ahmad
KUCHING (June 18): Flavours danced, knives flashed, and imaginations ran wild as 20 top Sarawakian chefs stepped into the culinary spotlight on Day Two of the World National Tapas & World Asia Tapas Competitions, Exhibition and Seminar 2025 here.
Held from 10am to 2pm at KTS Garden, the high-stakes national tapas showdown gave each chef 25 minutes to prepare eight portions of their signature creations to earn a spot to represent Malaysia at the World Tapas Championship in Spain this November.
The judging panel featured well-known chefs Michelle Goh, the youngest Malaysian woman to earn a Michelin star for her pastries; Jasbir Kaur, global culinary leader and founder of the Australasia Tapas Competition; Alex Ting, former head of Michelin-selected restaurant Alma in Shanghai and founder of Kyujin in Kuching; and Goh Ah Seng, Hall of Fame inductee for Cantonese Cuisine and chairman of Persatuan Tukang Masak How Yu Kuching.
Nicholas's ayam pansuh is shaped like a tree with a longhouse as a backdrop. – Photo by Mohd Faisal Ahmad
Among the contestants was Chef Nicholas Robert, who reinterpreted the traditional ayam pansuh by presenting it as a towering edible tree with a longhouse backdrop.
Chef Zulhizan Sapawi fused bold flavours with local textures, crafting a sago flour-based tapas mixed with coconut and filled with prawns and a creamy, cheesy Sarawak laksa core.
It was served with a kantan lemongrass gel and paired with a rich prawn Sarawak laksa sauce.
Chef Jack Owens Atit impressed with a bonsai-themed presentation, featured his tapas shaped like a golden apple, calling it 'The Golden Gem'.
Liew sets his Sarawak Laksa inspired tapas on top of a bowl of spices. – Photo by Mohd Faisal Ahmad
Chef Liew Kit Kiet created a Sarawak laksa-inspired tapas served elegantly on a spoon resting in a bowl of local spices, blending tradition with refined presentation.
While creativity was front and centre, the judges also considered commercial viability and overall taste.
There will be awards for the top three winners, most creative, and most commercially viable.
Winners will be announced tomorrow alongside the World Asia Tapas Competition results. KTS Garden lead World National Tapas & World Asia Tapas
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
2 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Miri hosts city's first mural festival, igniting vision for 2075 through art
Abdul Karim (eight left) and Ting (seventh left) in front of the mural painted by Aqif (fourth right) for the Mercure Miri Mural Art Festival & Art Conference 2025. MIRI (June 21): Mercure Miri City Centre has successfully hosted the city's first-ever mural art festival and conference from June 4 to 14, transforming parts of the city into a vibrant, large-scale exhibition space. Held with the theme 'Envision Miri 2075, Powered by PEAKS,' the event invited artists and the wider community to imagine the city's future through public art and open dialogue. Organisers described the festival as not just as a celebration of creativity but as the beginning of a long-term cultural movement rooted in Miri's identity. Six muralists were commissioned to interpret visions of the city's future on walls around the hotel, specially prepared for the project. The featured artists included Sheep Chen, Helenya Apostolou, Bounce, Amey Sheikh Ali, Sam Lim and Letterhythm, each bringing unique perspectives to the theme. Miri-born artist Jagung served as lead curator, contributing a 16-storey mural, now the tallest in Sarawak, which became the centrepiece of the festival. The last two days of the event featured an Art Conference that focused on topics around art, identity and long-term community development. Several dignitaries officiated the event, including Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who represented the Sarawak Premier, along with Deputy Minister Datuk Sebastian Ting. (From left) Ting and Abdul Karim standing in front of the 16-storey mural created by Jagung. In his opening remarks, Evolveland CEO Roger Sim, the driving force behind Mercure Miri, called for stronger support for local creatives. 'Miri has every potential to become an art capital for Sarawak, if stakeholders, communities, and creatives come together to build that dream,' he said. Meanwhile, Abdul Karim emphasised the role of art in sustaining culture, and encouraged more public-private partnerships to support the creative economy. Keynote speaker Juvita Tatan Wan, co-founder of The Tuyang Initiative and MYYinitiative, encouraged local communities to invest in grounded cultural work. 'Embrace your pace. Find beauty in what is slow and grounded, because that is often where the deepest art resides,' she said. Panel discussions explored Sarawakian art history, mural commissions, curatorial practice, the impact of AI and digital media on artists, and the role of mental health in creative work. One of the most powerful sessions was 'Artism,' focusing on creative expression for individuals with learning disabilities. Aqif, one of the featured children, contributed a mural to the newly launched Wall of Resilience, now showcasing artworks by neurodivergent youth. The initiative was widely seen as a powerful statement of inclusivity, ensuring that no one is left behind in Miri's evolving cultural narrative. The next edition of the Mercure Miri Art Festival and Art Conference is expected to be announced this August. Arts and Culture community lead Mercure Miri City Centre mural
New Straits Times
11 hours ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Yoki Chin's AI tribute to Pirate Queen
THE cutting edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) movie 'Pirate Queen — Zheng Yi Sao' is a first not only for Malaysia and Singapore, but also the world of cinema. It marks the first major achievement for animation movie director Yoki Chin and Future Studios, his company which aims to advance Malaysian AI, creative technology, and digital innovation in cinema. 'Pirate Queen' is a collaboration between creative technology companies of Malaysia and Singapore, namely Future Studios and Fizz Dragon respectively. Chin said: "The movie is a high-seas historical epic inspired by the real-life story of Zheng Yi Sao — a formidable female pirate who rose from poverty and exploitation to command the Red Flag Fleet, the most powerful pirate fleet in Chinese maritime history. "But what truly distinguished Pirate Queen was her unwavering sense of justice. "She led her fleet not just against rival pirates and imperial threats, but also against foreign invaders." In a particularly powerful act, she commanded the destruction of foreign opium ships, a bold strike against the rising tide of colonial exploitation. Her efforts resulted in one of the most successful reconciliations between pirates and the Qing Dynasty. "Furthermore, she advised the Chinese national hero Lin Zexu in his resistance against British imperialism, embodying a fierce patriotism and devotion to her homeland," said Chin. BRAINSTORMING Chin said that the idea behind the movie emerged during early brainstorming sessions with his core creative team. "We chose this story because it is based on a true story which offered a compelling opportunity to push the boundaries of AI-assisted storytelling — blending emotional depth with technological innovation. "This is our first theatrical release where we used AI throughout the entire production pipeline. "We built a distributed team of over 130 creatives from 13 countries, all working remotely. "That in itself came with a lot of coordination — time zones, communication styles, and making sure everyone was in sync," he said. Beyond that, there were some very specific creative challenges. "Keeping the characters visually consistent across different scenes was tricky, especially when working with evolving AI tools. "Lip-syncing voiceovers to match AI-generated visuals was another learning curve, and choreographing fight sequences in a way that felt dynamic and realistic took a lot of trial and error," said Chin. "It pushed us to adapt quickly, stay flexible, and trust both the process and each other." DIGITAL Chin said that the Malaysian and Singaporean creative teams developed organically through a shared interest in AI and digital storytelling. "While some members had worked together in other contexts, for many of us it was our first collaboration. "Despite that, we quickly found common ground through aligned values and creative goals,." Chin chose to join the project because of his love of new technology and good storytelling. "The project offered a rare chance to explore using AI generated content as the main focus while telling a meaningful story. "I'm passionate about narrative craft, and this was an opportunity to reimagine storytelling through an AI lens — one that fuses human emotion with digital creativity," he said. Chin began building the team in March last year. It was a hybrid of constant experimentation and development. "If we were to make a similar film today, with a finalised script and our current setup, we estimate it would take about three months. "We didn't use traditional voice actors. Instead, characters were brought to life through AI, guided by human direction," he said. The AI director acted much like a conductor — shaping performances, expressions, and tone through careful technical and artistic input. "We learnt the value of agile collaboration across borders and disciplines, the importance of deeply understanding new tools before integrating them into creative workflows, and how to develop an artistic instinct for working with AI," said Chin. "These insights will guide us as we continue to innovate and refine our storytelling processes in future projects." POSSIBILITIES Chin said that AI opens up a lot of exciting possibilities, whether it is speeding up concept design, testing creative ideas quickly, or making parts of the production more efficient. "It also comes with challenges, like making sure we use it responsibly and still keep the heart and emotion of real storytelling." Chin said that he does not see AI as a replacement for traditional filmmaking, but more of a creative partner. "We believe the heart of storytelling comes from human emotion, experience and vision. "We are also planning to share what we have learned by helping more people explore AI-generated content to more professionals and non-professionals who are upskilling their content creation skills. "The idea is to guide creators, whether they are from tech or film backgrounds on how to use AI alongside traditional techniques to bring their ideas to life in new and innovative ways," he said. FINAS Chin also said that the National Film Development Corporation or Finas was very supportive and understood the kind of innovation his team was trying to achieve. "We were also supported by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and the National AI Office (NAIO)." Chin added that working with the Singaporean team was a great experience. "They brought strong technical skills and a great sense of storytelling. "Everyone brought something unique to the table, and it all came together beautifully." Chin said that he was already working on new stories and ideas where AI can help make the creative process better. "We are also planning our next film by blending live-action talent with AI-generated backgrounds and even mixing AI backgrounds with animated characters." 'Pirate Queen — Zheng Yi Sao' is slated for a theatrical release in July.
Rakyat Post
17 hours ago
- Rakyat Post
Malaysia's Queen Of Dangdut Passes Away At 68
Subscribe to our FREE Dangdut singer Siti Zaleha Abdul Hamid, who rose to fame in the 80s, succumbed to a lung infection and passed away at Sultan Aminah Hospital in Johor Bahru last night (19 June) at 8.30pm. Her eldest son, Ungku Chik Zafirulazman, said that his mother had been admitted in hospital for a week before her death, Sinar Harian She was buried at the Kassim Noor Muslim cemetary in Kampung Sungai Danga at 3pm today (20 June). Zaleha Hamid: Malaysia's beloved Queen of Dangdut If you grew up in Malaysia in the 80s or 90s, chances are you've heard her unmistakable voice on the radio, at weddings, or booming from pasar malam speakers. With a voice that could make you sway, cry, and dance all at once, Zaleha Hamid earned her crown as Malaysia's Queen of Dangdut – and held onto it for decades. Born on 31 August 1957 in Sungai Pinang, Penang, Zaleha was destined for the stage. With a mother who was a traditional theatre actress and a father who played the violin, her roots were steeped in the performing arts. She started singing at the tender age of five, performing in traditional theatre and ghazal shows, honing a voice that would eventually electrify dangdut lovers across the region. Making dangdut her kingdom Image: LadyBosz Although Zaleha began with Indian classical and Malay asli music, her shift into the world of dangdut in the 70s and 80s made her a household name. Leading ensembles like Orkes Zindegi, she bridged traditional and contemporary music with ease. Her solo career blossomed in the 80s with hit albums like Curahan Rasa (1982), Asmara (1986), and the unforgettable Dangdut Bang series in the 90s. The latter, while stirring controversy for its cheeky lyrics, also cemented her position as a bold and fearless performer who wasn't afraid to push boundaries. The songs we'll never forget Zaleha's voice is etched into Malaysian music history. With hits like 'Dangdut Reggae', 'Kerana Pengalaman', 'Nasib Janda', and 'Jagung Bakar', she captured the hearts of fans not just in Malaysia, but also in Singapore and Indonesia. Her ability to combine Malay, Indian, and Arabic musical influences made her music uniquely hers. Not without controversy – and that's what made her a legend Zaleha wasn't afraid to ruffle feathers. Her Dangdut Bang albums were Over her long and vibrant career, Zaleha was recognised with numerous accolades, including a Lifetime Dangdut Artist Award by PAPITA in 2006, and another by Life Records Singapore in 2007. Her song 'Teruna Idaman' even made it to the semi-finals of Muzik-Muzik 8 in 1992 – a testament to her enduring popularity. A dangdut legacy that lives on Zaleha Hamid wasn't just a singer – she was a trailblazer. She made dangdut cool before it was mainstream, gave it a Malaysian flavour, and showed that women could dominate the stage with both elegance and fire. Even in her final years, her name still drew admiration, and her songs still sparked joy. Today, as younger artists like Baby Shima and Wany Hasrita carry the dangdut torch forward, Zaleha's influence is unmistakable. Rest in peace, Zaleha Hamid. The Queen may have left the stage, but her music will keep us dancing and reminiscing for generations to come. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
