Kota Baru's forgotten flavours take centre stage in Unesco bid
KOTA BARU: For the past four months, a group of 20 friends have been spending their days off combing the state capital’s wet markets, seeking out veteran traders and elderly residents who hold the recipes, memories and stories behind Kelantan’s lesser-known culinary treasures.
Kota Baru, the capital of Kelantan, is gaining attention for reviving its forgotten culinary delights. A group of 20 friends from the Kota Baru Gastronomy Club are on a quest to uncover the state's underappreciated gastronomic treasures, with the ultimate aim of securing a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation. Led by founder Ariza Mohd Yusoff, the club is researching and cataloguing over 1,000 traditional Kelantanese dishes, including itik solo, kuih pinang kontang, and che banding.
The initiative has received support from the Kelantan hotel association, local hotel chefs, the state government, and the municipal council. The club's goal is not just to introduce these unique culinary creations to the international community but also to showcase the diversity of familiar dishes like nasi kerabu. Ariza believes that achieving UNESCO recognition could open doors for international visitors and create opportunities for local food entrepreneurs and communities.
Fellow Malaysian towns like Penang and Kuching are also vying for the prestigious culinary honor, with Penang reportedly considering Kuala Lumpur's George Town as a candidate. Kelantan, however, is seen as a cradle of Malay culture, with its cuisine reflecting centuries of history and cultural influences from Thailand, Sumatra, Riau-Lingga, and Champa.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
