KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 — It’s so simple you wonder why no one ever came up with the idea before: Bring together people who have a passion for cooking with those who simply love to eat.
Introducing Plate Culture, a Malaysia-based foodie platform started by Lithuanians Audra Pakalnyte and Reda Stare.
For cooks, you get to host a dinner for a group of people... and for the eaters, Plate Culture will provide you a choice of hosts according to your food preferences.
Yes, Plate Culture pairs hosts and diners online at www.plateculture.com.
Vegetarian? No problem. Don’t fancy fish? Sure, the cook can improvise with another type of meat.
The idea is to discover food from all over the world within the comforts of a home. You get to learn about the ingredients, condiments, spices and the cook’s own personal touch.
Recently, Pakalnyte and Stare organised a dinner with Mauritian Shiksa Nuckched as the host.
“Cooking at home is a big thing in Mauritius, people hardly eat out. Whenever my family goes out for a meal, it would be for a treat,” said the host who served us a starter, soup, main course and desserts.
Studying and working in Malaysia for the past decade has opened up opportunities for Nuckched to share her delicious Mauritian recipes with close friends.
“I learned how to cook when I was young. Growing up, my mother and grandmother would always cook at home,” said the friendly young woman who is an avid cooking show fan.
For starters, she made Cauliflower Fritters, known as Gato Salé in Mauritius. It is cauliflower dipped in a special batter and then deep fried. Light and crispy!
It was followed by a thick hot soup consisting of Red Lentil and Fish called Dal. Filled with fish pieces, the soup was delicious and satisfying.
Nuckched said that most people add vegetables for Dal but she prefers adding fish to it. It makes it meatier, definitely!
For the main course, we were served Bol Renverser, also known as Upside Down Rice. I finished every single morsel... it was so yummy!
Alouda, a Mauritian dessert typically found in street stalls, was served next, ending the night on a sweet, strawberry-flavoured note.
If not for Plate Culture, I don’t think I’d ever get to try Mauritian food. Unless I went to Mauritius of course... and this wonderful home-cooked dinner was made possible right in the city where I live.
Pakalnyte herself loves to cook. Coming from a European country where meat and potatoes are staples, Pakalnyte learned about the spices and unique tastes of Asia.
Soon, her friends were always asking her to cook for them. The 29-year-old cook made friends and expanded her social circle through food.
Fellow Lithuanian Stare enjoys travelling and trying new cuisines. Forming a partnership with Pakalnyte was natural because when you marry travelling and food, you get the best of both worlds!
“We know many people who enjoy cooking but cannot open a restaurant because they have full-time jobs. Plate Culture lets them do what they love—cooking! Their passion is rewarded when they see guests enjoying their food.”
As of right now, diners pay directly to the hosts but Plate Culture is working out an online payment system where Plate Culture takes 20 per cent as a booking fee for each meal.
