Latest news with #Mano
CNA
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
Two-Michelin-starred Thevar moves to Mohamed Sultan shophouse with modern South Indian-inspired touches
With Thevar's move to a new home at Mohamed Sultan Road, chef Manogren Thevar, better known as Mano, finally has a space that really feels like his own. When he first opened Thevar at Keong Saik Road in 2018, the modern Indian restaurant took over the space previously occupied by Meta, helmed by close friend and business partner Sun Kim. Minimal changes were made and 90 per cent of the kitchen equipment had been handed down. 'I always felt like it was Meta. I didn't feel like it was my own restaurant,' Mano said. This, on the other hand, 'is a restaurant that I really built for myself'. Occupying two floors of a heritage shophouse, the new Thevar's interiors are modern while incorporating subtle South Indian touches in a nod to the Penang-born 35-year-old's ancestral heritage. Design elements include homages to traditional Chettinad architecture as well as temples and meeting places built by the kings of southern India's ancient Chola empire. Meanwhile, the exterior retains the shophouse's original Peranakan elements and bold Chinese characters. 'I grew up in a multi-racial community with Chinese, Peranakan, Malay and Indian culture, and I moved to Singapore when I was 20 years old,' Mano said. 'Penang and Singapore are quite similar, including the architectural ideas. I want to keep that tradition. But, once you come inside, it goes back to my heritage and where my grandparents are from', namely, Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu. With more than double the space, the new Thevar, which was nearly two years in the making, can seat at least 28 people in the main dining room, and also features a three-person chef's table in the kitchen area. The private dining room upstairs can accommodate 10 and has its own kitchen and restroom that even comes equipped with a shower. Mano plans to use this space as an R&D kitchen as well as to offer special, one-time menus with no rules or boundaries. As for the main cooking space, he had the opportunity to design his dream kitchen from scratch. 'Here, everything is new. Now, we have a proper walk-in chiller. We never had a walk-in chiller. We just had a four-door freezer,' he shared. There's also a custom Acuarinox grill from Barcelona, which he's the first in Singapore to have after spotting it in a restaurant while on holiday in Spain last year. While the reopening menu features a couple of new dishes, Thevar's DNA won't change, and nor will the prices, Mano said. The tasting menu remains at S$298++ per person. However, now, the restaurant will have just one seating a night instead of two, which allows for dining at a more leisurely pace. 'I just want to cook tasty food for sharing,' said Mano, who has earned accolades such as ranking at No 70 on this year's Asia's 50 Best list for his elevated plates incorporating European techniques with Indian flavours. 'There's no show. There's no story in my food. There's no grandmother's recipe or mum's recipe. I just cook whatever I like,' he insisted. Growing up in Malaysia and living in Singapore, 'there's a lot of good food. Those flavours are always in my mind. Travelling, I learn something new. You just wake up and come up with new ideas, new dishes. I think that's what it's all about. But still keeping the flavours, taste and temperature the way they are supposed to be: Hot is hot, cold is cold. At the end of the day, people remember the taste and the whole idea of a dish.' With time, as the restaurant settles in, the menus will 'adapt and grow with the place', he said. 'I still remember that when I started Thevar, to be honest, I didn't have a direction. We grew every day. We learned from our mistakes and never repeated them. I think the same thing is going to happen here.' With the move, he's now just a few doors down from Meta, something he and Sun have been hoping for ever since Meta moved to 9 Mohamed Sultan Road two years ago. And, at the same time, there is space to develop in different directions. 'I always wanted to have a restaurant that I built for myself. It also shows my team that we didn't have to have a brand new, luxury kitchen to achieve all this. Even with everything secondhand, you still can do it, as long as your food is cooked from your heart.'
Sinar Daily
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sinar Daily
‘Gaana King' Deva to perform in Johor for the first time this August
The concert will feature a line-up including celebrated Indian singers Mano, Anuradha Sriram, Sabesh-Murali and Srikanth Deva, as well as emerging talents Ajay Krishna and Priyanka. 14 Jun 2025 12:04pm The concert is a "celebration of Deva's extraordinary career and the timeless music that continues to connect people of all ages'. - Photo source: @ungaldevaoffl/Instagram KUALA LUMPUR - South Indian music legend Deva, popularly known as the "Gaana King', is set to make his debut concert appearance in Johor on Aug 9. Organised by SPPS Production in collaboration with iGP Production, the mega concert will take place at the Educity Sports Complex in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Bahru, at 5 pm, promising an unforgettable evening of high-energy performances and nostalgic melodies for fans of Deva, a veteran composer of songs and background music for South Indian films. The concert is a "celebration of Deva's extraordinary career and the timeless music that continues to connect people of all ages'. - Photo source: @ungaldevaoffl/Instagram The concert will feature a line-up including celebrated Indian singers Mano, Anuradha Sriram, Sabesh-Murali and Srikanth Deva, as well as emerging talents Ajay Krishna and Priyanka. The organisers said in a statement that this concert is a "celebration of Deva's extraordinary career and the timeless music that continues to connect people of all ages'. iGP Production director Ezra Hari said the show marks a major step forward in reshaping live entertainment experiences in Malaysia. "Our debut concert is more than just a launch - it marks a significant step toward reshaping the live entertainment experience. We're proud to begin our journey with a celebration of music and creativity. "It will offer a memorable experience for audiences from both Malaysia and Singapore,' he said. Deva, one of the most iconic music composers in Tamil cinema, is especially cherished by fans of the 90s era, having popularised the gaana genre (a high-energy style of Tamil folk music) through a series of chart-topping hits that continue to resonate across generations. Tickets are on sale now, with early bird prices starting from RM91.80. For ticket purchases and more information, visit - BERNAMA More Like This
Barnama
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
HAWANA 2025 Bolsters Media's Role In Promoting Information Literacy
GENERAL KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 (Bernama) -- The National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) 2025 celebration, which kicks off today for a three-day run, serves as a platform to bolster the media's role in promoting information literacy, while also strengthening public engagement through a range of educational, entertainment and interactive activities. Communications Ministry deputy secretary-general (Telecommunication Infrastructure) Mano Verabathran said HAWANA is not just a platform to recognise media practitioners for delivering accurate information, but also affirms the media's role as a public education agent in an era of information overload. 'We need to educate the public on various issues related to media and information dissemination, including the importance of media literacy, fact-checking, and the dangers of spreading false information which could affect social harmony and national security,' he said when launching the HAWANA 2025 Carnival at Sunway Putra Mall here. Also present were Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin and its editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who is also HAWANA 2025 project director. General manager of On Air Presentation (News & Current Affairs), Media Prima Television Network, Media Prima Berhad, Kamaruddin Mape; Information Department (JaPen) deputy director-general (Digital Content) Erwin Khairul Ahmad; Utusan Borneo Sabah editor-in-chief Datuk Lichong Angkui; and The Borneo Post and Utusan Borneo general manager Phyllis Wong Yang Wong also present at the event. Mano said that since its inception in 2018, HAWANA has stood as a symbol of recognition for the vital role journalists play in shaping public opinion, defending freedom of expression, and articulating the aspirations of society. 'I would like to extend my congratulations to the organisers, particularly the Communications Ministry and Bernama, for their continued commitment to empowering journalism in Malaysia through inclusive and innovative approaches,' he said. Additionally, Mano said Bernama's fact-checking desk (MyCheck Malaysia) is an independent initiative by the news agency to educate the public on media literacy, with a focus on issues that impact people's lives and livelihoods. 'More than 400 fact-checking reports have been produced since 2020 and can be read at MyCheck reports are also published on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok,' he said.
The Sun
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
HAWANA 2025 bolsters media's role in promoting information literacy
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) 2025 celebration, which kicks off today for a three-day run, serves as a platform to bolster the media's role in promoting information literacy, while also strengthening public engagement through a range of educational, entertainment and interactive activities. Communications Ministry deputy secretary-general (Telecommunication Infrastructure) Mano Verabathran said HAWANA is not just a platform to recognise media practitioners for delivering accurate information, but also affirms the media's role as a public education agent in an era of information overload. 'We need to educate the public on various issues related to media and information dissemination, including the importance of media literacy, fact-checking, and the dangers of spreading false information which could affect social harmony and national security,' he said when launching the HAWANA 2025 Carnival at Sunway Putra Mall here. Also present were Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin and its editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who is also HAWANA 2025 project director. Mano said that since its inception in 2018, HAWANA has stood as a symbol of recognition for the vital role journalists play in shaping public opinion, defending freedom of expression, and articulating the aspirations of society. 'I would like to extend my congratulations to the organisers, particularly the Communications Ministry and Bernama, for their continued commitment to empowering journalism in Malaysia through inclusive and innovative approaches,' he said. Additionally, Mano said Bernama's fact-checking desk (MyCheck Malaysia) is an independent initiative by the news agency to educate the public on media literacy, with a focus on issues that impact people's lives and livelihoods. 'More than 400 fact-checking reports have been produced since 2020 and can be read at MyCheck reports are also published on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok,' he said. The three-day HAWANA 2025 Carnival features activities such as casual talks with agencies, quizzes, performances by invited artistes, colouring sessions, meet & greet events, as well as forums and workshops on creative writing, photography, podcasting, and media literacy, targeting teenagers and senior citizens. At the media interactive zone, visitors can experience the world of broadcasting through booths by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), Media Prima Berhad, Astro and TV AlHijrah, as well as live crossovers via the HAWANA Mini Studio by Bernama TV, the 'Breaking News' interactive game by Bernama Radio, and the 'Kempen Internet Selamat' exhibition by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). The exhibition and interactive booths also showcase digital broadcasting technology by the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) group, photo book sales, and media archives. The carnival is also joined by government agencies such as the Information Department and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), along with stalls run by young entrepreneurs and a community market involving media cooperatives, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and journalist alumni. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to launch the main event of HAWANA 2025 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) tomorrow.
The Sun
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
HAWANA 2025: Celebrating Media Literacy at Sunway Putra
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Journalists' Day (HAWANA) 2025 celebration, which kicks off today for a three-day run, serves as a platform to bolster the media's role in promoting information literacy, while also strengthening public engagement through a range of educational, entertainment and interactive activities. Communications Ministry deputy secretary-general (Telecommunication Infrastructure) Mano Verabathran said HAWANA is not just a platform to recognise media practitioners for delivering accurate information, but also affirms the media's role as a public education agent in an era of information overload. 'We need to educate the public on various issues related to media and information dissemination, including the importance of media literacy, fact-checking, and the dangers of spreading false information which could affect social harmony and national security,' he said when launching the HAWANA 2025 Carnival at Sunway Putra Mall here. Also present were Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin and its editor-in-chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj, who is also HAWANA 2025 project director. Mano said that since its inception in 2018, HAWANA has stood as a symbol of recognition for the vital role journalists play in shaping public opinion, defending freedom of expression, and articulating the aspirations of society. 'I would like to extend my congratulations to the organisers, particularly the Communications Ministry and Bernama, for their continued commitment to empowering journalism in Malaysia through inclusive and innovative approaches,' he said. Additionally, Mano said Bernama's fact-checking desk (MyCheck Malaysia) is an independent initiative by the news agency to educate the public on media literacy, with a focus on issues that impact people's lives and livelihoods. 'More than 400 fact-checking reports have been produced since 2020 and can be read at MyCheck reports are also published on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok,' he said. The three-day HAWANA 2025 Carnival features activities such as casual talks with agencies, quizzes, performances by invited artistes, colouring sessions, meet & greet events, as well as forums and workshops on creative writing, photography, podcasting, and media literacy, targeting teenagers and senior citizens. At the media interactive zone, visitors can experience the world of broadcasting through booths by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), Media Prima Berhad, Astro and TV AlHijrah, as well as live crossovers via the HAWANA Mini Studio by Bernama TV, the 'Breaking News' interactive game by Bernama Radio, and the 'Kempen Internet Selamat' exhibition by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). The exhibition and interactive booths also showcase digital broadcasting technology by the New Straits Times Press (NSTP) group, photo book sales, and media archives. The carnival is also joined by government agencies such as the Information Department and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), along with stalls run by young entrepreneurs and a community market involving media cooperatives, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and journalist alumni. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to launch the main event of HAWANA 2025 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) tomorrow.
