Christina Arokiasamy Takes Malaysian Cuisine To America

By Nani Rahayu Yusof NEW YORK, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- Chef Christina Arokiasamy, Malaysia's first ever food ambassador to the United States, has opened the path to bring Malaysian cuisine to 68 million viewers throughout the United States (US) starting 2015. To achieve this feat, the Seattle-based chef and an award winning cookbook author has engaged top 28 food executives of Food Network. Not only that, Christina who had more than 23 years of world class culinary experience also has been slated to appear in a live cooking demonstration to 3.5 million viewers on "CBS This Morning in New York" in July 2015. Earlier in September this year she helped to showcase Malaysian cuisine on a 30-minute cooking demonstration programme that took place at Food Network kitchen studio in Chelsea, Massachusetts. At the programme her Nasi Minyak (rice cooked with butter/ghee), Chicken and Beef Rendang (spicy chicken and beef dish) and Sesame Chili Fried Prawn were tasted by the executives. Christina when contacted from New York said "after the privilege of cooking of all the executives, the network contacted me recently and wanted me to showcase Malaysian cuisine to its viewers". When CBS This Morning goes on air in New York on July 11, 2015, she will be on air, talking and cooking Malaysian food live from CBS Broadcasting Center in Manhattan. A promo about it has been out by CBS recently. DESCENDENT OF SPICE MERCHANTS Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, the longtime chef Christina comes from a family of five generations of spice merchants and her culinary curiosity began at her family's kitchen and spice stall. She is well versed in exotic spices and aromatics such as turmeric, cardamom, galangal and tamarind, and this led her to chef stints at world-class Four Seasons hotel properties in Bali, Indonesia and Chiang Mai, Thailand. "Malaysian food has yet to be fully discovered and explored in the US. It is a cuisine comprised of a melting pot of Malay, Indian, Chinese, and Nonya cultures which sounds intimidating to the home cook," added the spice expert who also had a vast teaching culinary experience. With her expertise in communicating with Americans and with all-natural value-driven, easy-to-make, and authentic Malaysian food and beverage products becoming more accessible across the country, American families can now enjoy flavourful, healthy choices from packet to plate at their convenience. APPOINTED BY MATRADE The Malaysian government and the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) appointed Christina as the Malaysian Food Ambassador in 2013, under the Malaysian Kitchen programme, to promote the accessibility and convenience of the country's cuisine and products to American consumers. Ever since, American media either in Los Angeles or New York City has been talking, writing and airing about Malaysian cuisine from breakfast to dinner. Making mee goreng (fried noodles), roti canai (flat bread), Nasi Minyak, satay (grilled meat on stick), ayam percik (grilled spicy chicken), Nasi Lemak (a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves), Char Keow Teow (fried flat rice noodle)and many more has been presented live by Christina to the viewers of major tv stations around the US. O Magazine, by the famous tv celebrity Oprah Winfrey also recently featured her spice expert tips and how to create easy meals. MALAYSIAN FOOD CONVERTS Meanwhile Veteran food journalist Jay Weston in his Huffington Post reports entitled "Hot, Spicy, Delicious, and Here" provided an insight of the many wonders of Malaysian food and products. He also said; "I have tasted the future and it is spicy. She made me a Malaysian food convert". Christina is on the verge of publishing her second cook book for the US market on healthy benefit of South East Asian cuisine. Recently the US National Restaurant Association named Malaysian cuisine as one of the top three trending flavours in the US for 2014 in its report, with consumer demand for Southeast Asian ingredients and easy-to-prepare meals growing. Matrade reported a record increase in exports of Malaysian food and beverage products into the US from January–April 2014 totaling nearly US$150 million (RM524 million). The US currently ranks as the fifth largest trading partner for Malaysian food exports and ninth largest for Malaysian beverages. In order to meet growing demand, Malaysia Kitchen USA plans to import over 300 new Malaysian F&B products into the U.S. by 2015. --BERNAMA