Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

A Taste of Thailand: Thai SELECT Awards and Pavilion at SIAL Malaysia 2025

One of the most anticipated moments at Food & Drinks Malaysia by SIAL 2025 was the Thai SELECT Award Ceremony, held at MITEC’s Main Stage. Organised by DITP Malaysia under Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce, the event celebrated 53 Thai restaurants in Malaysia for their excellence in serving authentic Thai cuisine - a proud recognition directly from the Thai government.

What Is Thai SELECT?

Thai SELECT is not just any food award. It’s an official certification from the Thai Ministry of Commerce, given only to restaurants that meet high standards of authenticity, taste, ingredients, and traditional preparation. In short, it's a government-backed guarantee that the food truly reflects what you’d find in Thailand.

Celebrating the 53 Winners

Each awarded restaurant proudly received the Thai SELECT certificate, symbolising their commitment to preserving real Thai flavours and culinary traditions in Malaysia. These restaurants span a variety of dining styles -from casual eateries to fine-dining spots -all staying true to the heart of Thai cooking.

The ceremony was more than just awards. It was a celebration of cultural connection, culinary pride, and the growing demand for authentic Thai food in Malaysia.

“This certification is not only about great taste -it’s about honouring tradition, heritage, and trust in quality. These restaurants are helping us bring Thailand closer to Malaysians through food,” said a DITP Malaysia representative during the ceremony.



Some of the Thai Restaurants awarded with Thai SELECT 1-Stars distinction






Restaurants awarded with Thai SELECT 2-Stars distinction





 Featured Restaurants & Live Demos

Alongside the award ceremony, some of the honoured restaurants also wowed the crowd with live cooking demonstrations, including:
  • COCA Restaurant

  • Gai by Darren Chin

  • Rama V

  • Malai Thai Cuisine

  • Baan Thai Publika

  • THAI LUCK Thai Cuisine

  • Napa Authentic Thai Cuisine

Dishes like Pad Thai, Tom Yum Kung, Beef Panang Curry, and Khao Soi were cooked live — giving visitors a real taste of Thailand on the spot.


Thai SELECT Pavilion Showcase

Found this very delicious dipping sauce by MK Restaurant!

It’s not in the Malaysian market yet, but I heard it’s coming soon!

Step into a curated experience featuring Thai SELECT-certified products already popular in Malaysia. Brands like Maepranom, Megachef, Deksomboon, Thai Dancer, and more will be featured - all trusted for their bold flavours and high standards.

Why It Matters

With more Malaysians craving authentic international cuisines, the Thai SELECT Award helps diners easily identify restaurants that offer a truly Thai experience — not fusion, not localised, but genuine Thai food.

So the next time you're browsing for a place to enjoy a spicy Tom Yum or a comforting Green Curry, just look for the Thai SELECT logo. It’s more than a badge — it’s a promise of quality, backed by Thailand itself.

**MITEC Kuala Lumpur is the Official Venue Sponsor for 4th GCCM.**

📲 For more information, follow DITP Malaysia on Facebook: facebook.com/DITPMalaysia

📞 Call: 03-2142 4601 | ✉️ Email: enquiry@thaitrade.my 

Monday, July 7, 2025

Food & Drinks Malaysia by SIAL 2025 Shows Malaysia Is Leading the Way in Food Innovation



Food & Drinks Malaysia by SIAL 2025 (FDM 2025) wrapped up successfully at MITEC Kuala Lumpur, bringing together the best of global food innovation, strategic trade partnerships, and future-focused agri-food solutions. Organised by Comexposium under the renowned SIAL Network, the event solidified Malaysia’s growing status as Southeast Asia’s gateway for food innovation and export.

Over three impactful days, the event welcomed more than 18,000 trade visitors, 500 exhibitors from 60 countries, and 20+ country pavilions, drawing stakeholders from across ASEAN, Europe, and North America.

Malaysia at the Centre of Global Food Innovation


Held from 1 July - 3 July 2025, FDM 2025 was officiated by YB Datuk Chan Foong Hin, Deputy Minister of Plantation & Commodities, alongside YB Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy, Sabah’s Assistant Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship. Their presence highlighted Malaysia’s public-private commitment to transforming its agri-food ecosystem through innovation, halal leadership, and sustainability.


“FDM by SIAL isn’t just an exhibition — it’s a platform where businesses grow, ideas cross borders, and innovation takes root,” said Henri Tan, Exhibition Director, Southeast Asia, Comexposium APAC.


Key Highlights from FDM 2025

Debut of the SIAL Innovation Awards in Malaysia

For the first time, Malaysia hosted the SIAL Innovation Awards, attracting 144 product submissions from both local and international brands. The awards celebrated originality, commercial viability, and market relevance.


Winners of SIAL Innovation Awards 2025:

GoldSymphony Spread Black Sesame Cream – Malaysia


Silver
MusaWa Puffs – Thailand

Bronze: Barley Fresh Noodle – Singapore

The judging panel included industry experts from AEON, UPM, SAMENTA, and international delegates from France and the SIAL Network.

“These products reflect Malaysia’s shift from being a food manufacturer to a global leader in food innovation,” said Low Ngai Yuen, Group CMO, AEON Malaysia.


Malaysia’s First-Ever Chocolate Show



Curated with Salon du Chocolat, this debut segment showcased Malaysia’s cocoa potential, with live tastings, artisanal chocolates, and engaging panels. With RM15 billion in cocoa export value (2024), and chocolate products making up 12.7% of total earnings, the event spotlighted a key national growth sector.


Global Culinary Challenge Malaysia (GCCM)


Now in its fourth edition, GCCM featured 600 chefs from 31 countries competing in categories like Palm Oil Innovation, Cocoa Creations, and Barista Art. The competition underscored Malaysia’s culinary excellence on the global stage.

2nd FDM Halal Forum

This forum dove deep into halal certification, export strategies, branding, and technology trends. It drew strong participation from halal authorities, manufacturers, and global importers looking to understand Malaysia’s edge in the halal economy.


Future Food & Agriculture by Impact Circle

This forward-looking segment tackled sustainability, climate-resilient farming, and food security with panels featuring agri-tech leaders and social innovators shaping the next decade of food.


The Spark by Impact Circle

A dedicated pitching platform spotlighted breakthrough innovations from startups and SMEs aiming to solve tomorrow’s food and agriculture challenges.


Where Trade Meets Innovation

FDM 2025 was designed to drive meaningful connections:

  • Hosted Buyer Programme connected 160+ top-tier importers and buyers, generating over USD 164 million in potential trade value





International Pavilions featured exhibitors from Canada, China, India, Poland, South Korea, Türkiye, Thailand, and more
  • A newly introduced Non-Halal Beverage Section welcomed global brands such as Moutai and Baijiu

  • Thai SELECT Awards honoured Thai cuisine excellence in Malaysia


Strategic Industry Support

FDM 2025 was proudly supported by:


  • Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB)

  • Malaysia Airlines

  • Express Rail Link (ERL)

  • Sunway University (Chocolate & Coffee Gourmet Bar partner)

  • MITEC Kuala Lumpur is the Official Venue Sponsor for 4th GCCM.

Their involvement reinforced the nation’s commitment to making Malaysia a hub for high-impact business events and global F&B trade.


What’s Next: FDM 2026

FDM 2025 set the bar high - and the momentum is already building for next year. FDM 2026 will take place from:

30 June to 2 July 2026
MITEC, Kuala Lumpur


To explore participation or partnership opportunities, contact
marketing@fooddrinksmalaysia.com

Follow FDM for the latest updates:
www.fooddrinksmalaysia.com
@FDMbysial (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)
@fdm_fooddrinksmalaysia on TikTok


Friday, September 22, 2017

What Caffeine Does To Your Body Will Shock You

Happy long weekends everyone! Recently I had a discussion with my friend about caffeine. Two of the most-loved beverages that contain caffeine are tea and coffee. Caffeine has both favorable as well as unfavorable effects on our health. I found an article by Dr. Ooi Yau Wei is a cardiologist at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital who has explained the pros and cons of caffeine in detail. 

Apparently, there exist many adverse effects of caffeine. It disrupts the functioning of body parts like the brain, heart, stomach, and hormones. Adenosine is a hormone present in our body that not only slows down our nervous system but also relaxes our body. Apparently, when there’s an intake of caffeine, the effects of adenosine is blocked, which leads to greater alertness, mental energy, and concentration. 

How caffeine affects your brain 
Research suggests that caffeine influences a perception and the state of mind. However, it all depends on the amount of caffeine and time of consumption. In people who are well rested, caffeine in small and medium doses improves attentiveness. In individuals who haven’t slept enough, caffeine tends to boost up their learning and decision-making skills. People who are addicted to coffee and tea perform better on various tests of cognitive performance such as reaction time and visual-spatial skills. 

Caffeine is known to relieve headache symptoms significantly. It can either be used alone or in combination with other medications for headache treatment. However, regular caffeine consumption isn’t good for health as it can lead to a chronic migraine and analgesic rebound headaches. 

Effects of caffeine on your heart 
Caffeine can protect individuals against heart attacks if taken in a low to a moderate amount (up to 3 cups per day). However, drinking more than 3 cups of caffeine in a day may cause heart artery problems and heart rhythm irregularities, especially in people with underlying heart disease. For people who rarely intake caffeine, one serving of caffeine intake may raise their blood pressure. However, there is little effect on regular coffee drinkers. 

Disadvantages of caffeine 
Apart from having various advantages, caffeine intake has plenty downsides too. The main function of caffeine is to boost mental and physical energy. Apparently, many individuals turn to caffeine to cope up with their active and busy lifestyles. However, high levels of caffeine consumption may lead to symptoms such as a headache, trembling, fast heart rate, and insomnia.

Other long-term effects of caffeine dependence include anxiety disorder nervousness, insomnia, irritability, and panic attacks. Caffeine can also cause a higher risk of osteoporosis. As per research, high coffee intake in women increases the chances of lower bone density and increased fracture risk. However, this can be taken care of by consuming calcium-rich food and drinks. 

What happens when you quit caffeine 
Caffeine can be addictive and gives you side effects when you stop taking it. One can tell that they’re going through caffeine withdrawal if they experience the following symptoms: 
  • Headache 
  • Tiredness/fatigue 
  • Decreased energy 
  • Decreased alertness 
  • Drowsiness/sleepiness 
  • Depressed mood
  • Difficulty concentrating 
  • Irritability 
  • Fuzzy/foggy mind 
How much caffeine is too much? 
For an average adult, consumption of up to 400mg of caffeine a day appears to be safe. Here’s the amount of caffeine present in our common drinks is as follows: 
  • Coffee(235ml): 102–200mg 
  • Espresso(30ml): 30–90mg 
  • Tea(235ml): 40–120mg 
  • Coke(355ml): 35–47mg 
  • Mountain Dew(355ml): 118mg 
An average US adult consumes 2 cups of coffee per day; this is almost 280 mg of caffeine. Heavy coffee drinkers are the people who consume 4 or more cups of coffee every day. Research proves that the advantages of caffeine outweigh the disadvantages. However, there are a few medical conditions that are made worse with the intake of caffeine. 

Now you have a better reason to get your daily coffee fix!

The inspiration for this article has been taken from Health Plus Section, a source of credible health information by Mount Elizabeth Hospitals, Singapore.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Start your day right by eating right, get positive energy with MILO. Join Malaysia Breakfast Day Run 2014 in Putrajaya!

My parents always tell me you must have the breakfast if you want to have energy for the rest of the day. 

Do you know Breakfast is not just a meal but it's about starting your day with positive energy to help your body to perform its best throughout the day?

And many people thought that skipping breakfast will help to lose weight, but it's wrong because it will only worsen to your diet. You will feel more lethargic, blood sugar level will drop leaving you feeling easily distracted and causing mood swings. And end up you might eat more because of mood swing!

While Roti canai, mee goreng and nasi lemak is definitely delicious, but all of us know it's not healthy and too heavy for breakfast! So have a balanced breakfast instead with a cup of MILO that would better boost the energy intake! 


A good breakfast will simply means getting the Positive Energy which is derived from the perfect ratio of nutrients consisting of protein, carbohydrates and fats. It would provide our body with the much needed fuel to take on both physical and mental challenges each day. 

According to Ho Hau Chieh, Executive Director of Dairy Business Unit, Nestlé Products, “Fuelled by MILO’s determination and motivation to advocate Malaysians on the importance of a well-balanced breakfast, the day is part of its nation-wide nutrition campaign - ‘Positive Energy For Champions’ that aims to keep the momentum going as the healthy breakfast habit should be adopted actively and not just in the heat of the moment,” he says. 

"As an advocator of healthy living, we strive to reevaluate how the nation can adopt an improved view on healthy living and start practicing with little steps,” adds Ho.

MILO representatives holding different MILO products, as you know MILO comes in Powder form, 3 in 1 and Ready to Drink !  And I miss the MILO truck drink... it always seems to taste so much nicer! 

This year, MILO also hold their annual Malaysia Breakfast Day Run in Dataran Putrajaya on 20th April 2014 starting from 7:00 am. 

The event calls upon all Malaysians to come together as a family to enjoy the most important meal of the day and participate in physical activities together. 

Apart from the 8-km and 3-km runs, there will be breakfast meals available to all runners and attendees while conducting various interactive sport activities that will keep the whole family energized. 

For more information on Malaysia Breakfast Day and its activities, please visit: www.milo.com.my/breakfastday

Monday, March 3, 2014

Learn to cook Shoyu & Honey Glazed Fillet of Chilean Sea Bass with Horseradiah Aioli with Samsung Galaxy Life

Recently I came across a new FREE Samsung mobile apps i.e Samsung Galaxy Life where Samsung users like me can enjoy exclusive rewards and privilege by using the apps. Very easy, just install it at Google Play Store at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samsung.galaxylife .

Once I opened the Samsung Galaxy Life apps, it would search for some good stuff or me! 

I registered myself on the apps so that I could enjoy daily surprise deals with discount coupons, promos and rewards. 


There are many categories to choose from Life, Entertain, Learn, Play, Connect, Work and Surprise.

If you have been following me on my instagram or facebook, you will realised how much I love to cook at home. But I only know how to cook Chinese cuisine so I am always on the look out to learn western cuisine or even learnt to bake. But the thing good cooking class is not cheap especially when the Chef are really famous & good. 

Am so happy to find this Buy 1 pax FREE 1 pax cooking class by Starhill Culinary Studio at Samsung Galaxy Life mobile apps. So quickly call to reserve for a western cooking class last week before I click REDEEM!


So last week went to Starhill Culinary Studio which is located Muse Floor. Beautiful set up! 

Guess what I am learning to cook looking at the ingredients ?

Also we are going to cook this huge piece of Chileam Sea Bass! 


We are so lucky to have Chef Wai to teach us how to cook because he is an award winning Chef who has served for many local and overseas in the past. Besides he is also a Corporate Executive Chef for the restaurants in Starhill Gallery! All thanks to Samsung Galaxy Life promos ! 

Excited to know that we are learning to cook Shoyu & Honey Glazed Fillet of Chilean Sea Bass with Horseradiah Aioli! 

The ingredients needed for 4 pax are: 

4 x 160gm fillet Sea Bass , skinned

Sauce Ingredients
60 ml light soy sauce, Kikkoman
45 gm soft brown sugar
15 gm manuka honey
15 gm ginger puree
15 gm garlic puree
3 sprigs coriander root, crushed

Horseradish Aioli
80 ml kewpie mayo
25 g freshly grated horseradish
dash of Tabasco to taste  

Lobster Sauce ( this was pre-made by Chef Wai)
Lobster head
Red Celery root
Tomato paste
Carrot
White Wine
Taragon herb
Lemongrass
Fish Stock
Cognac
Flour 
Butter
Swiss brown mushroom
Sesame Oil
Walnut Oil
Balsamic vinegar Oil


First Chef Wai showed us to skin the sea bass.


Looks easy ? 


After skinning the fish then must cut into fillet


I can tell you that it's not easy because not only you must be really precise but you must own a really sharp & good knife to do this! Gotta to start saving money to buy a set of this Global Knife from Japan already!

After that mix and stir all the sauce ingredients well until the sugar dissolved, then place the fish fillet cut side down in the sauce mixture. Place the crushed coriander root next to the fish and marinade for 2 hours in the fridge. 

Tips : You will notice Chef is using a piece of kitchen cloth to dab dry the fish before soaking the fish fillet. This is to ensure the freshness of the fish is preserve. 

While waiting Chef Wai showed us how cook risolto as our side dish. Stir onion before adding in risolto, chicken stock, cooking crem, prawn, coriander root, paramesan cheese and a pinch of salt.

Bake the glaze marinated sea bass under salamander until crisp brown on the surface with 200 celcius (top heating).

Tips : If the surface is not brown after few mins then take the pan out and add on a little bit brown sugar on the top and continue baking for another 2-3 minute

As for the Horseradish Aioli 
Mix & Stir all the ingredients well, keep at room temperature for half an hour before serving


Wooylaa my Shoyu & Honey Glazed Fillet of Chilean Sea Bass with Horseradiah Aioli is ready! 


The sea bass is so freaking nice! Just like those I had in fine dining restaurant, crispy on the outside and savourly sweet on the inside with the lobster sauce or horseradish aioli!  

Finally a picture with Chef Wai, now I am also a Master Chef like him after learning how to make my favourite dish! :D


I like how the cooking class is conducted in small group, where it was more cosy and I get to know better other participants! They also love cooking like myself and we have actually asked Chef Wai so much cooking tips and he is generous enough to share with us :) Met Cik Lily Putih there as well :D 

I have learnt so much and can't wait to cook this back at home.. (in fact was hungry by looking at the pictures I posted here!) . Definitely I can't wait to go more cooking class like this in the future so any of you want to join me ? 

Well all you need to do is to download the Samsung Galaxy Life from Google Play Store and start redeeming exciting deals & promos! 

I always think eating home is always the best if you want to have a healthy life because there will be NO MSG added in, plus they is a saying "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach"

For more info, visit:-
Samsung Mobile Malaysia Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/samsungmobilemalaysia
or Download Samsung Galaxy Life at Google Play Store at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.samsung.galaxylife
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...