Turning her passion for Malaysian cooking into her profession, Zenofar Fathima, Entrepreneur, Producer and host of the television series FoodAddict discusses her techniques.

Fusion Malaysian

“I consider my cooking to be fusion because with globalization and multiculturalism, we, as global citizens, no longer create completely authentic meals. In that way, I would say dishes like Nasi Lemak and Nasi Dagang are the only authentic meals due to their newness in the region, while the cooking styles that precede them sometimes blend into a universal style.”

Malaysian Cooking Styles

“In Malaysia, there are a lot of cooking styles. There’s quite a lot of food preservation with anchovies, for example, which are used in many meals such as the Nasi Lemak. The use of stir-fry to make many delicious dishes such as the char kway teow tend to give Malaysian cuisine a Chinese twist.”

Inspiration

“I’ve grown up watching my mother cooking and when she wouldn’t be around, instead of simply sticking to a single style, I would experiment. I’ve always loved to try out different flavors and styles, and the interest in culinary pursuits has stemmed from there for me. I love cooking to this day and enjoy it immensely as it’s not only about the taste, but also about the presentation that makes food a medley of the five senses.”

Favorite Food Blog

“Even though I usually do not follow food blogs, I do have a favorite known as ‘The Pioneer Woman’, and my favorite thing about this is that they offer insight into their experimental dishes and share them with others to try. I admire the 16-minute meals section in this blog. I don’t really have the time to sit for a three-course meal; I’m always for those meals that can be made and eaten in a short time.”

Moving Forward

“What makes Food Addict unique is that the show ventures into a multiplicity of arenas- be it the classy fine dining restaurant or the bustling street food complexes. Once we cover Malaysia, we aim to cover the culinary and cultural beauty of other nations, in order to make Food Addict a global phenomenon.”

Social media: https://www.instagram.com/zenofar_fathima/