The Malaysian Insider :: Food

Fast food meals are four times bigger now than 60 years ago, says CDC

Sat, 26 May 2012 15:30:32 GMT

NEW YORK, May 26 — Before you go ahead and supersize your burger meal, chew on this: the average restaurant meal today is more than four times larger than in the 1950s. That's according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which examined the average size of a fast food meal and found that the hamburger, for instance, has grown ...

Marrying Western technique with Eastern flavours

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:53:07 GMT

PETALING JAYA, May 26 — I felt reassured that I was eating pork — at Sanbanto — that was hormone- and antibiotic-free after listening to Rebecca and Peter Ng tell me about their father’s accidental journey into the pig farming business in Johor more than 10 years ago. “He was in the business of waste water treatment and was experimenting with a ...

YouTube to launch food channel in July

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:50:45 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO, May 25 — In a move that signals the growing shift away from network food television, YouTube has announced the launch of a new cooking channel that has already enlisted star-powered names like cake celebrity Duff Goldman and US chef Chris Cosentino. Set to debut July 2, the new channel called Hungry includes a line-up of shows ...

Tastes like chicken? Get used to it

Fri, 25 May 2012 08:51:02 GMT

WASHNGTON, May 25 — It’s a pattern that may leave red-meat lovers in a flap. With rising commodity prices and recent health-related scares around beef, chicken has become increasingly popular on restaurant menus in the US, while steaks and burgers are taking a grilling. According to market research group Mintel’s Menu Insights report released this ...

A mighty BIG feast

Fri, 25 May 2012 07:03:14 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Opening 22 F&B outlets — including a large grocery store — within 18 months has left BIG Group head Benjamin Yong looking frazzled. From the fast-and-simple sandwich shop B*Wiched to the casual dining Plan B to its fine-dining EST, The BIG Group now counts 16 food-related brands under its umbrella — a number that even Ben ...

Chenin blanc snags most medals at wine competition

Fri, 25 May 2012 05:59:45 GMT

LONDON, May 25 — Move over Chardonnay and Pinot grigio — there’s a new white wine in town. At the largest wine competition in the world in London this week, the Chenin blanc, a white wine grape variety from the Loire region in France, won the highest percentage of awards with 92 per cent of wines entered going home with a medal. Of the 136 bottles ...

A taste of southern Nyonya cuisine

Fri, 25 May 2012 01:28:22 GMT

PETALING JAYA, May 25 — As a true-blue northern Nyonya — well, at least half of one; my dear late father always proudly proclaimed himself a “Chinaman” — I am a life-long fan of the delicious, uber-spicy flavours of this unique cuisine. And nowhere are we more proud of it than in Penang… except possibly with the exception of Malacca! Being one of ...

Miracle sweetener stevia may have a sour note

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:52:18 GMT

PARIS, May 25 — The meteoric rise of a natural, healthy alternative to sugar — a holy grail for the food industry — might just be a little too good to be true. In two years stevia, a plant used for centuries by Paraguay’s Guarani Indians, has shot to prominence in products by Coca-Cola, Danone and Merisant. Encouraged by distrust of artificial ...

Pierre Hermé creates desserts for ANA Airways

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:04:16 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 24 – The man who’s been described as the ‘Picasso’ of the pastry world has been tapped by All Nippon Airways to cater its dessert menu. Passengers on international flights travelling in First and Business Class will tuck into a range of in-flight desserts created by French pastry wizard Pierre Hermé, best known for his inventive ...

‘Elite’ asparagus conquers Germany’s former East

Thu, 24 May 2012 02:24:33 GMT

BEELITZ (Germany), May 24 — Present a spear of finger-thick white asparagus to a German and watch their eyes light up. Come spring-time each year Germans shed their typically sober attitude towards food to swoon over the freshness, the flavour and the girth of their asparagus. This enthusiasm, fanned by a rising consumer appreciation of local, ...

TWG Tea: Brewing up a perfect storm

Thu, 24 May 2012 01:06:09 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 — It’s like stepping into a scene from the movie “The Darjeeling Limited” by auteur Wes Anderson — the rows upon rows of canary yellow canisters filled with strange and rare teas from all over the world, the aged veneer of the mahogany wood chairs, the crisp white linen tablecloth and shiny silver cutlery. You’d be forgiven if ...

New survey reveals dining habits of Parisians

Wed, 23 May 2012 23:18:45 GMT

PARIS, May 24 — Travelling to Paris for a gluttonous, food-filled holiday and Michelin meals? Better be prepared to dig deep for la vie en rose, as yet another major survey has confirmed that the city of light will cost a pretty euro. According to the latest Zagat survey released this week, the average meal in Paris will set you back about €62 ...

China wins 18 medals at world’s largest wine competition

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:37:28 GMT

LONDON, May 23 — China has been identified as a country to watch after nearly doubling the number of medals it won at the largest wine competition in the world this week. The country’s strong performance at the 2012 Decanter World Wine Awards in London — particularly for its cabernet blends — signals the nation’s potential as a winemaking country ...

Instant noodle makers face off in battle for Chinese taste buds

Wed, 23 May 2012 05:53:19 GMT

HONG KONG, May 23 — The battle lines were drawn at the 8th World Instant Noodle Summit, held in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin at the weekend. The prize being fought for was the lion’s share of the biggest instant noodle market there is — China — and like all great battles there was more than a fair share of subterfuge thrown in for good ...

From Tokyo with love

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:44:31 GMT

PETALING JAYA, May 23 — The perfect bowl of ramen eluded me for many years, solely because nothing in Kuala Lumpur could compare to the ones found on the tiny streets of Tokyo nor the one manned by a Japanese at Perth’s Fremantle Market. Hearty, scrumptious and flavourful. My criteria for a good bowl of ramen is not that high, but somehow, I found ...

World Chefs: A taste of Venice in London’s east end

Tue, 22 May 2012 10:52:52 GMT

LONDON, May 22 – On the surface the picturesque UNESCO World Heritage site Venice may seem to have little in common with Hackney, a gritty but rapidly regenerating district in east London. But the similarities appear very clear to Venetian chef Andrea Michelon, who along with compatriot architect Paolo Mozzato and four British and Irish partners, ...

‘Decanter’ to launch Chinese version of its wine website

Tue, 22 May 2012 08:40:39 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 22 – In a sign of the wine times, one of the world’s most authoritative wine publications, Decanter, said it plans to launch a Chinese version of its website. The move comes after another top wine publication, described as the wine bible for the French, La Revue du Vin de France, launched a Chinese version of its magazine last ...

Wines of China on the rise

Tue, 22 May 2012 05:17:05 GMT

HONG KONG, May 22 — As more wine is being downed in China each year, vineyards are starting to spring up around the country as winemakers — both Chinese and international — begin to test the local ground. A recent study by Vinexpo — the major wine industry fair which is set to hold its Asia-Pacific edition in Hong Kong from May 29 to 31 — claimed ...

Anthony Bourdain book to hit the silver screen

Mon, 21 May 2012 23:15:53 GMT

NEW YORK, May 22 — He’s been the star of his own travel culinary TV shows, but word has it that chef turned writer Anthony Bourdain will be now moving to the big screen. According to Thewrap.com, Bourdain’s first novel “Bone in the Throat” has been picked up by production company Dignity Film Finance in Los Angeles and will begin filming this ...

Wine fair to focus on China’s changing tastes

Mon, 21 May 2012 06:57:24 GMT

HONG KONG, May 21 — The changing tastes of the Chinese wine drinker are set to dominate conversations when the international wine industry gathers in Hong Kong later this month for the Vinexpo Asia-Pacific trade fair. Vinexpo runs from May 29 to 31 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and has attracted 1050 exhibitors from 28 ...

France to try to woo Chinese oenophiles beyond Bordeaux

Sun, 20 May 2012 07:04:19 GMT

PARIS, May 20 — It may take a lot of wining and dining, but the French government has launched a three-year marketing campaign in Beijing this month to try and persuade oenophiles and experts there that France is more than the sum of its Bordeaux. According to wine trade publication Decanter.com, the campaign, organised by Ubifrance or the French ...

California chefs in stew over foie gras ban

Sat, 19 May 2012 14:07:04 GMT

SANTA MONICA, May 19 – A simmering row between animal rights campaigners and a handful of California’s top chefs is coming to the boil, ahead of a looming ban on foie gras in the western US state. Protestors took their message to the streets this week as a series of high-end restaurants staged events – with menus including foie gras ice cream – to ...

Chicago restaurants create NATO-themed menus for summit

Sat, 19 May 2012 08:40:27 GMT

CHIGAGO, May 19 – As heads of state from NATO’s political military alliance discuss security challenges and peacekeeping missions next week, alliances of a different kind are also being made in the kitchens of Chicago. About 200 restaurants are taking part in the city-wide initiative “Chicago’s Culinary Crossroads” which will spotlight the city’s ...

For a taste of authentic Nyonya flavours

Sat, 19 May 2012 01:02:55 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — Looking at my pictures of the awesome Nyonya dinner at Chatz Brasserie, Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur makes me want to go back again. Firstly, there was Debbie Teoh, the foremost Nyonya chef in the country, introducing us to each dish on the table. And when I spied the nasi ulam, that was it. I knew I was in for a delightful ...

Ready for some bite-sized gourmet meals?

Fri, 18 May 2012 00:41:50 GMT

PETALING JAYA, May 18 — Alcohol-infused fudge brownies. Dark ale cinnamon honey glazed pork. Hot dogs with glazed chicken sausages, kimchi and miso mayonnaise. These dishes, which wouldn't look out of place in a gourmet restaurant, are among the highlights of Food Bites, a gourmet street food fest happening at Jaya One here on May 26. “It's an ...

Debt crisis boom for Italian aperitivo buffets

Thu, 17 May 2012 23:20:54 GMT

ROME, May 18 — As Italy’s austerity measures hit home, the “aperitivo” is on the rise with more and more Italians heading for lavish happy hour buffets instead of traditional sit-down restaurants to save money. Drinks priced at between €6 (RM24) and €10 in a growing number of bars give customers unlimited access to a range of snacks ranging from ...

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Day to take place in 488 cities

Thu, 17 May 2012 01:40:07 GMT

LONDON, May 17 — Food crusader Jamie Oliver has succeeded in recruiting 800,000 people to participate in his inaugural Food Revolution Day which is set take place in 488 cities around the world this weekend. Meant to draw attention to the growing epidemic of obesity and poor diet and nutrition in the developed world, Oliver is challenging ...

Playful Aduriz masters culinary mind games

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:48:08 GMT

TORONTO, May 16 — Basque chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, the culinary conjurer behind one of the top-ranked restaurant in the world, enjoys a good gag as he lets his imagination run wild at Mugaritz, set in the hills outside San Sebastian in northern Spain. An early protégé of Ferran Adria at El Bulli, Aduriz, 40, is famous for tricks such as disguising ...

Tonchin Tokyo: The real ramen experience

Wed, 16 May 2012 02:40:10 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — Does one need to have ramen in Japan to enjoy it? With the number of ramen shops sprouting all over the Klang Valley, the answer seems to be an obvious “No”. However, from attempting to decipher menu choices in Japanese to slurping noodles noisily (even as your fellow diners are busily slurping theirs), there’s nothing quite ...

British chef Ramsay opens Las Vegas restaurant

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:58:36 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 15 — The British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has opened a restaurant at a casino hotel in Las Vegas, his first in the US gambling hub. Multiple Michelin star holder Ramsay, who already has restaurants in New York and Los Angeles, joins several famous rivals, including Alain Ducasse and Pierre Gagnaire, who have eateries in Las ...

Dine like a star in Cannes

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:53:11 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 14 – When the glitterati descend on Cannes for, perhaps, the most glamorous film festival on earth, the city’s restaurants will also be kicking into high gear as they prepare to feed the world’s biggest stars. With 316 brasseries, wine bars, and fine dining restaurants dotted throughout the city, visitors can choose between ...

Chinese wine makers looking to win back local taste buds

Mon, 14 May 2012 08:36:26 GMT

HONG KONG, May 14 – While China’s wine lovers continue their obsession with French vintages, a number of local labels are determined to lead the charge to convince them that Chinese winemakers can compete with the very best there is. Dynasty Fine Wines is based near the city of Tianjin – about a 30-minute train ride from the capital Beijing – and ...

Pinang Thaipas at the Rasa

Mon, 14 May 2012 00:20:29 GMT

GEORGE TOWN, May 14 — It’s a play on words: come to the al fresco poolside Pinang Bar at the Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa, and have one (or more) of their yummy cocktails whilst watching the gorgeous sunset in the horizon. And indulge in a few of their new Penang and Thai-style tapas dishes at the same time. Although they have only ...

French food, sans le snootiness, s’il vous plait

Sun, 13 May 2012 00:14:48 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 — The indecipherable menu; the fancy bouteilles d’ eau; the fear of committing a faux pas like calling for the “mayder-dee.” These are a few reasons why many French restaurants get their snooty and exclusive reputation, which causes many casual diners from stepping into one regularly. Exclusivity and snootiness is not the ...

Italy emerges as best food destination among Brits, survey shows

Sat, 12 May 2012 11:54:03 GMT

LONDON, May 12 — Britons named Italian cuisine the best in Europe, followed by British, French and Spanish fare, according to a new poll. In a survey of more than 2,000 people in the UK, 30 per cent of respondents named Italy as the European country with the best national cuisine. Next, 22 per cent of Brits gave their own cuisine a nod. France ...

Brits fete the 250th anniversary of sandwich invention

Sat, 12 May 2012 08:49:57 GMT

LONDON, May 12 — While British cuisine may be most associated with dishes like fish and chips and and bangers and mash, the world over also has the Brits to thank for inventing perhaps the most ubiquitous food item and lunchtime meal staple which celebrates its 250th anniversary this year: the humble sandwich. Between May 12 and 19, Brits will ...

Brazilian foods get spotlight in China

Sat, 12 May 2012 02:23:48 GMT

BEIJING, May 12 — The tropical, wild flavours of South America are being given the spotlight at the largest international food and beverage exhibit in China this week, where Brazil has been named the guest country of honour — a move that signals the growing interest in products native to this burgeoning country. SIAL China, which is expected to ...

Fat sister’s delicious offerings

Sat, 12 May 2012 01:08:37 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — There’s really a “fei jay” (fat sister in Cantonese) at Restoran Fei Jay in Kepong, which is getting known for its crabs and other seafood. She’s big and friendly, and is the one who suggests and takes down your orders on what you should eat. One of these was the crabs tossed in spices, lime juice and fresh milk, the ...

Brad Pitt to star in movie about wine bottle scandal

Thu, 10 May 2012 10:57:10 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 10 — Brad Pitt has been tapped to star in a movie based on the controversial book The Billionaire’s Vinegar based on the true story centred around a bottle of 1787 Château Lafite Bordeaux, purportedly owned by Thomas Jefferson. The movie, which is slated to hit theatres this year, is produced by Will Smith who bought the rights to ...

Survey shows Paris sells most expensive club sandwich in the world

Wed, 09 May 2012 23:31:48 GMT

PARIS, May 10 — Paris may be known as the most romantic city in the world, but it’s also the most expensive place to buy a club sandwich — making it the priciest travel destination on the globe. That’s the conclusion of online accommodation booking site Hotels.com which surveyed 750 hotels in three to five star categories across 26 countries and ...

Most expensive club sandwiches found in Europe

Wed, 09 May 2012 23:25:46 GMT

LONDON, May 10 — According to a survey of 750 hotels in 26 countries, Paris is the most expensive city in the world for ordering a club sandwich. After surveying the price of the iconic triple-decker sandwich among three to five-star properties around the world, Paris, Geneva and Oslo emerged as the most expensive — and therefore — the ...

Pop-up version of Noma in London sells out in 2.5 hours

Wed, 09 May 2012 14:54:00 GMT

LONDON, May 9 — Tickets for Danish chef René Redzepi’s pop-up restaurant Noma in London this summer sold out in 2.5 hours, dashing the epicurean hopes of more than 6,600 gourmands who were willing to pony up £195 (RM959.40) for a meal. According to restaurant trade publication Harden’s in the UK, about 10,000 people had pre-registered for the ...

Kid-friendly Mother’s Day recipes for breakfast in bed

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:43:34 GMT

SYDNEY, May 9 — Dads, this is the one day of the year when it’s absolutely inexcusable for you not to pamper the mother of your children with a decadent breakfast in bed. Recruiting the kiddies into the kitchen to help isn’t just about enlisting child labour, either. It’s a way to let mom sleep in without a child nagging her about the whereabouts ...

Best restaurant in the US goes to ’Frisco eatery

Wed, 09 May 2012 00:33:10 GMT

NEW YOK, May 9 — San Francisco restaurant Boulevard, set in a historic building and designed in the manner of France’s Belle Epoque, has been named the best in the US. At the James Beard Foundation Awards, an event known within the hospitality industry as the “Oscars” of the US food world, chef Nancy Oakes’s eatery was named Outstanding ...

List of James Beard award winners

Tue, 08 May 2012 12:16:04 GMT

NEW YORK, May 8 — The best of the US food and hospitality industry gathered at the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards in New York last night to crown the best chefs and restaurants in the country. Here’s the full list of winners: Best New RestaurantNext, ChicagoOutstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits ProfessionalPaul GriecoTerroir, ...

Is Korean food the next Thai?

Tue, 08 May 2012 11:43:35 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 8 — It was predicted to become one of the food trends of 2012. And if an appearance on the menus of family-style international eateries and celebrity-backed restaurant openings are anything to go by, all indications are that Korean cuisine is poised to become as ubiquitous around the world as Thai and Vietnamese fare. After gazing ...

Swiss-born chef wins top US chef award

Tue, 08 May 2012 03:41:56 GMT

NEW YORK, May 8 — Swiss-born Daniel Humm won the top US chef prize yesterday, with the group that hands out the most prestigious US culinary awards celebrating its 25th anniversary as interests in food and cooking scale fresh heights around the world. Humm, 35, is among the youngest winners of the James Beard Foundation’s outstanding US chef ...

A lesson in divine desserts

Tue, 08 May 2012 03:24:34 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 8 — “I’ve waited three years for your baking class, Nigel. I tried searching online and I called a few times to see if Just Heavenly was offering classes and they told me it was coming soon,” said Jenny Choy to Nigel Skelchy, co-owner of Just Heavenly. Well, Jenny’s quest was finally answered last weekend when Skelchy held Baking ...

Curry and ‘India’s holy powder’ subject of cancer-fighting study

Tue, 08 May 2012 02:00:02 GMT

LONDON, May 8 — A team of British researchers has launched a clinical trial that will look at whether a compound found in curry can improve the drug response in patients with advanced bowel cancer — the third most common cancer worldwide after lung and breast. It’s a study that will try to improve current bowel cancer treatments that either have a ...

Recipes using ‘India’s holy powder’ — turmeric

Tue, 08 May 2012 01:40:30 GMT

LONDON, May 8 — It’s been called “India’s holy powder”. And in a slew of scientific studies, researchers have been exploring the healing properties of this mystical spice powder for everything from heart disease and cancer to Alzheimer’s disease. Most recently, a team of British scientists announced they would be looking at how turmeric could ...