Jul 4, 2015

18 KL Big Kitchen Festival 2015 - Loved it, but GrRrr!



The KL Big Kitchen Festival, an initiative under the Kuala Lumpur tourism master plan, was launched in May at Dataran Merdeka. The event lasted three days. I was thrilled to know that it will be an annual affair, and am so excited that I cannot wait to see what they have in store next year!

The sun was bright and punishing on the Sunday morning I was there.

"Phew! Boy, I wished there were drink stalls scattered across the field," as I imagined sipping on a a cold Teh O drink. 

I loved the whole festival set-up. It was neat, dreamy with large white tents, and a lot of details going into the design of the area, both indoors and outdoors. There is an air of good clean fun.

Entrance to KL Big Kitchen and Entry Tickets

The activities they have planned will excite anyone who loves food. Cooking demos by celebrity chefs and workshops for those preferring a hands-on experience. Check out the programme below.

Cooking Demo

My favourite corner is the heritage corner. I marveled at the many traditional dishes that are losing presence to the convenience of modern cooking. It made me admire our ancestors - how they toiled to cook a delicious meal for the family. Here I am, armed with electrical appliances that does the work with one press of a button and yet you will still hear me grumble about how much work cooking involves!

I headed to the tent where there seemed to be more life. Yes, it was a surprisingly quiet food festival. Was I 10am too early?  It's quite unlike food-loving Malaysians not to flock here at all hours considering the full crowd we had at Floria Putrajaya. Maybe we are more the avid gardener than we thought.

KL Big Kitchen Festival - Tents and Outdoor Seating Areas

KL Big Kitchen Festival - From another angle

When I realised that the big open tent housed stalls that feature food from each state in Malaysia, I strode to the Sabah stall with pride. Pride which soon deflated at seeing two bleary eyed food assistants slouched on chairs.

My eyes skipped over the plate of 'Hinava', I raised my eyebrows and cursed inwardly at the organisers for appointing people who had no idea how spirited Sabahans were, to man the stall.

A "Bah, try this lah! YeeeEEee..eh!" would have been a great reflection. I'm just being funny!

State Specialties

Whilst I enjoyed my walkabout tremendously, I felt there was room for improvement in the following areas as well - from promoting the event, staffing and food variety.

Promotional efforts. With so many celebrity chefs on board, it seemed ridiculous (to me at least) that the crowd was not on record breaking levels. It was too low key. I cannot help but feel that more should have been done to advertise the festival.

Festival guides. There is a need for festival guides to make the place inviting. They could provide visitors with information on what's happening there and then. I had no idea what was going on in the heritage corner. It was quiet except for a few people. The food trucks were tucked away in mystery land. I felt like I was a spy stepping into a hush secret meeting every time I opened the door to the covered tent.

Food Variety. I shed tears at seeing the fruit stall. Really. I say bring the pasar malam fruit vendors in! And local delicacies? Nothing compared to our vibrant Ramadhan Bazaars.

The Manisan tent had so much possibilities.
Other than the putu bambu stall, I wish I had seen local treats like puteri mandi, badak berendam, kuih dangai, kuih akok and kuih jelurut, just to name a few. Perhaps I was early and the stalls have yet to roar. That said, should they not be ready by opening time? We have so much to offer when it comes to sweet snacks. 

KL Big Kitchen Festival - Inside the Tents

KL Big Kitchen Festival - Inside Another Tent

For me, the best part of the food festival was the cooking demos and workshops. It was well organised and most vibrant. Although I wasn't one of the participants, I felt the energy from their laughter and the chefs' genuine desire to share their knowledge with us. I may have missed the boat this year, but I'll be sure to sign up for the next one!


18 comments:

  1. I would to browse and see what they got to offer. Nice way to spend your day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes, I'm always looking out for festivals and events to attend. It's a great way to spend my weekends! ^.^

      Delete
  2. I think if they do it indoor, there would be more ppl coming. Is there any Sarawak booth? You have to try Sarawak Laksa, better still, come to Kuching la 😉

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ya bah ..or at least outdoor fans and more shady areas...haha. Laaa....I forgot to check out the Sarawak booth! True. It's time I make another trip down to Kuching! My last visit was years ago..

      Delete
  3. Hi, Sharon. This looks like an interesting place to spend a day. Hopefully, they will improve in the areas that are lacking and needs improvement. If given a chance, I would love to visit too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. wow nice exhibition

    www.braveheart247.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great event you went to. Lots of food and activities.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a haven for food lovers and I know that next year, it will be even more amazing! ^.^

      Delete
  6. Though not perfect, it still sounded like a successful event!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was one of the best events I'd attended. I just wished more could have been done to bring the crowd in. :D

      Delete
  7. Wow, must be lots of food tastings! Looks like fun, dear! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yeah ..and still, greedy me wishes for more..haha! ^.^

      Delete
  8. yeah it is hot that day
    it makes one lazy to come out in a hot day
    sadly to know that the organizer is not plan well for the event
    perhaps they need to put a suggestion box to public to gather more insights to improve

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a brilliant suggestion, Emily! This is one festival that I'm really praying to be a huge success because I know we have a lot to offer in terms of food.

      Delete
  9. Too bad the turnout was so light! Glad to hear the demonstrations were enjoyable, Sharon. T. http://tickledpinkwoman.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Tina. I loved the concept so much. Perhaps that made me feel that it was such a waste that more people weren't turning up.

      Delete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
 

Elephants & Mangoes Copyright © 2005 - 2017 |- Template created by O Pregador Aldenir Araújo - |- Powered by Blogger Templates