News & Events

April 15, 2010, New York - Malaysia Kitchen for the World, a campaign launched by the Malaysian External Trade Corporation (MATRADE) to promote Malaysian restaurants and cuisine in the New York City metropolitan area, has partnered with LUCKYRICE Festival, an 11-day celebration of Asian food and culinary culture in NYC, for three special Festival events highlighting the delicious flavors of Malaysian cuisine. The events include a dedicated Malaysian Pavilion at the inaugural Night Market (Friday, April 30), a cooking demonstration by Chef Zak Pelaccio of Malaysian-inspired Fatty Crab and Fatty ‘Cue (Sunday, May 2), and an exclusive James Beard House dinner featuring the rich flavors of Malaysia with Chefs Zak Pelaccio and Simpson Wong of Café Asean (Monday, May 10).

Over 1,200 New York foodies and gastrohipsters will flock to the festival's inaugural Night Market hosted by Momofuku Chef David Chang under the Manhattan Bridge archway in Dumbo, Brooklyn. The outdoor feast will feature a vibrant Malaysian section reminiscent of the open-air markets of Kuala Lumpur and Penang serving up classic Malaysian hawker foods that draw upon the cuisine's Malay, Chinese and Indian influences-from stir-fried noodles to chicken satay and beef rendang sloppy joes. Chef Zak Pelaccio will be on hand and vendors will include Malaysian restaurants such as Laut, Café Asean, Penang and others from New York City and the tri-state area.

In addition, Zak Pelaccio will be among the chefs conducting the Talk + Taste cooking demonstrations and tastings of their signature dishes at the International Culinary Center. Chef Pelaccio will demonstrate his now-legendary Short Rib Beef Rendang-a rich, modern take on one of Malaysia's national dishes.

Finally, Chef Zak Pelaccio will be joined by Malaysian Chef Simpson Wong at the renowned James Beard House for an elegant 5-course dinner featuring Malaysian cuisine at its best. The two chefs will take turns presenting guests with their sophisticated renditions of traditional Malaysian fare, from kerabu salad to curry laksa and beef rendang.

For more information, visit http://www.malaysiakitchennyc.com/news-events/index.html

About Malaysia Kitchen for the World

Malaysia Kitchen for the World is a global initiative of the Malaysian government that aims to educate and inform consumers about Malaysian cuisine and Malaysian restaurants throughout the world. The New York campaign seeks to boost interest among American food lovers to try Malaysian cuisine and visit Malaysian restaurants in the New York metropolitan area as well as in other locations in the United States. The program also seeks to facilitate local chefs and restaurateurs to introduce Malaysian cuisine at their establishments. Visit malaysiakitchennyc.com for more information.

About MATRADE

The Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is Malaysia's national trade promotion agency. Established in March 1993 as a statutory agency under the Ministry of International Trade Industry (MITI), MATRADE is responsible for assisting Malaysian companies to succeed in the international market by developing and promoting Malaysia's exports to the world.

About LUCKYRICE Festival

From rich online content to live events, LUCKYRICE aims to be a consumer guide to the Asian culinary world. Launching in April in New York City, the LUCKYRICE Festival is an 11-day celebration of Asian food and culinary culture. The festivities include exclusive dinners with chefs, cocktail parties, tastings and more.