Globetrotter chef treats the world to traditional Malaysian flavours

Right at an age when he started walking, he began accompanying his mother at her street food stall in Kuala Lumpur. “I would watch her make nasi goreng (stir-fried rice) and nasi lemak (a Malay rice dish) on the streets. 

It began with me trying to help her when I was young — gradually, I began washing, chopping vegetables and would observe her cook. That was how my interest in cooking began,” recollects the 54-year-old chef, who is visiting Chennai to curate a Malaysian Food Festival at The Raintree hotel on St Mary’s Road, which is on till November 24.

Taking his passion for food ahead, the chef began working at small eateries and restaurants in Malaysia, then moving on to bigger hotels around the world. He has travelled to countries like China, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, Singapore and Saudi Arabia, introducing traditional Malaysian food to people with his experience of over 30 years in the food industry. 

A test of good Malaysian food is said to be through a bite of satay, which is so popular across the streets and homes in Malaysia. As we sat down for a taste of chef Mat’s food at Chap Chay restaurant in the hotel, chicken satay glistening with the marinade glaze and a rich and deep brown peanut sauce were presented before us. 

The thick peanut sauce sings of sweet, acidic, savoury, creamy and nutty tones all at once. Each of his dishes, particularly his Malaysian tom yum soup, featuring a generous amount of fresh galangal, lemongrass and chunkier vegetables compared to the Thai version, are sure to be remembered for a long time after the meal.

Through the food fest, he brings iconic Malaysian dishes like the beef rendang, laksa, roti jala and more.

“Enough awareness of traditional Malaysian food isn’t there in India, although it’s gradually improving. In Malaysia, there is currently a mix of traditional and fusion food that’s being consumed by people. What I want to bring to people abroad is the rustic, traditional Malaysian food,” he asserts.

Of his six kids, including three sons and three daughters, Mat is training his oldest son to be a chef as well. “I pass on some techniques to him to learn and keep traditional Malaysian cooking alive,” he says.