PETALING JAYA, Nov 30 – This weekend, head to Foodie Fest for some gourmet goodies and activities. The community-based food event made its debut in 2012 as Food Bites but has now been rebranded as Foodie Fest.
The festival aims to promote gourmet food at affordable prices from RM5 to RM15. It also celebrates food enthusiasts by giving them a space to showcase their home-cooked wares and allow fellow food lovers an opportunity to mingle with each other.
Asianage’s Jenifer Kuah, curator of Foodie Fest, sees the two-day event as a platform for budding entrepreneurs chasing their culinary dreams. “We are happy that the few vendors that have started out with us have gone on to be successful like Smooshie Juice, Forty Licks Ice Cream, and Transparent Apron Underground Supper Club.”
The passionate food lover hopes to encourage new business owners breaking into Kuala Lumpur’s culinary scene to think about what goes into making good food. “We don’t take credit for it but it’s the satisfaction of seeing more of this in the neighbourhood,” she adds.
As a run-up to the event, Asianage held a tasting session with the festival’s participants allowing them a chance to mingle and see what others are doing for the festival. Newcomers to the festival include Florida native Alejandra Deigado, 23, who relocated to Malaysia to follow her architect-boyfriend.
The hospitality management graduate dabbles in baking under the name Ale Berrie while juggling a day job with marketing company Mind Valley. Expect home bakes like banana bread with peanut butter and chocolate, and blueberry pie bars. Gluten intolerant food lovers will be happy to see moist gluten-free brownies that substitute flour with ground almonds.
Another first-timer is Mangolicious run by sisters Elsie and Jennifer Yan who peddle their homemade mango jam. “It’s very versatile and flavourful,” says Elsie who also presented the jams in pastry puffs.
The jams are made from a mix of mangoes including fragrant varieties like Pakistani or Indian ones. Elsie advises that the jams can be kept for two to three weeks refrigerated. For each purchase of the mango jam, RM1 is contributed to Reach Out Malaysia to feed the homeless.
Breaking into the food scene is Louisiana food outlet, Crab Factory. The soon-to-open restaurant in SS2, Petaling Jaya is a brainchild of T.Y. Ooi, an American graduate. Expect fresh seafood cooked up with spices, garlic and butter to be served with French fries at her stall.
For artisanal producers Sweet Montage, they hope to spread the word about their handmade products. According to Eugene Au, they switched from a homemade soap venture to making delicate Japanese puddings with the encouragement of his friends.
The delicate puddings resemble a silky custard flan, which uses kanten, a seaweed extract for a softer set. Flavours include salted gula Melaka, French vanilla and chocolate banana. They will also introduce gourmet sodas from Carbonista with flavours like lavender lemon and oriental ginger ale. Coffee truck Royal Post will also be introducing their homemade cakes and the unusual espresso nuts.
The snack infused with coffee makes a nice way to nibble your java hit for the day.
Expect to also see familiar faces like Ryonn Leong and Nick Au from Transparent Apron Underground Supper Club on December 1. They will serve items like porchetta with chapati drizzled with salsa verde, coconut pork with grits and chicken, cider, apples together with mash. Zahir Mazlan from The Bearkery who took part in Club Cake will join forces with Lexy Subramaniam who baked up brownies for last year’s event. Their Bearlex venture will sell hefty “man-wiches” stuffed with lamb kofta or the fork tender Guinness beef stew with bacon jam.
You can also pick up Five & Two Fine Foods bacon jam, HummusCo dips, Joey’s Homemade Peanut Butter, Cupcakes by Jow, sandwiches from Simply Sandwiches, beef wraps and burgers from Las Vacas, mince pies from Craft Bakers, among others. Taps Beer Bar will also be selling thirst chasers in the form of craft beers like Two Step cider, Brewer Harviestoun Old Engine Oil and Dead Pony Club Californian pale. You can also pick up advice on how to pair the gourmet food with the beers at each stall.
As Christmas is round the corner, you can also do some shopping here. Craft Kitchens run by Kylee Lee, 27, offer “Twist & Bake” or jars filled with cookie mixes. The decorated jars with detailed baking instructions make good gifts for budding cooks.
According to Kylee, who specialises in craft designs for parties, these cookie mixes in a jar have become popular with kids for birthday celebrations. She will be selling mixes to make oatmeal & raisin cookies, gingerbread and chocolate brownie.
Culture Run will also be conducting a workshop headed by Geeta Jayabalan who will share her tips on healthy food including how to cook it. You also get to learn how to make a simple mini terranium with Aida Azwar from A&E Co., a floral retailer in Subang Jaya.
Coffee appreciation classes will also be conducted by Barista Guild Asia. For those interested in perfumes kinder to your skin, Shelby Kho from Bisou Bonbon will be running her perfume bar to teach how you can use natural ingredients to smell good. Expect photo sessions, a food mural, artistic performances and “Snap n Make” recipe boards too.
Foodie Fest is happening at The Square, Publika from 12pm to 9pm, November 30 and December 1. For more information, see their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FoodBitesMY
This story was first published in Crave in the print edition of The Malay Mail on November 29, 2013.
