KUCHING: Head of Culinary Romie Nazrul Chua is delving into Sarawak’s rich diversity of local ingredients as he looks to create dishes that marry indigenous flavours with modern culinary techniques.
Romie, who recently joined the culinary team at Orchid Garden Coffee House at Grand Margherita Hotel, said he is taking time to understand the flavours, characteristics and potential of local ingredients before incorporating them into new culinary creations.
“I’m currently observing the ingredients available in Sarawak and understanding how I can highlight certain local elements in the menu,” he said when interviewed by Sarawak Tribune.
Romie sees Sarawak’s wealth of unique ingredients as an opportunity to bring fresh character to contemporary cuisine without losing the distinctive flavours that define the state’s culinary heritage.
Among those that have particularly intrigued him is tepus, an indigenous aromatic plant which he has experimented with in spaghetti and other dishes.
He said incorporating such ingredients into Western cooking techniques could introduce new layers of flavour, aroma and character while allowing their local identity to remain at the heart of each dish.
“For me, local ingredients are unique because they have their own taste. You learn the cooking technique and then understand how each ingredient behaves,” he explained.
Romie, who has more than two decades of experience in the culinary industry, pointed out that creativity is essential for chefs seeking to create memorable dining experiences.
He explained that presentation was equally important because diners should feel curious and excited to try a dish rather than simply eating for sustenance.
According to him, chefs should also establish their own quality benchmarks and continuously analyse different flavours before developing their culinary identity.
He added that experimentation was part of the culinary process, with chefs needing curiosity and patience to understand how different ingredients interacted when combined.
Romie said his experience working in Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia had exposed him to different cultures, ingredients and approaches to food preparation.
He shared that his current focus was to better understand Sarawak’s ingredients, including local rice, salt and other products from rural areas.
“I’m interested in exploring the ingredients available here, and hopefully some of them can be highlighted through the menu,” he said.
Romie also encouraged young people entering the culinary industry to remain patient and resilient, saying success requires them to understand the fundamentals of food.
“Aspiring chefs should be prepared to start from the bottom, learn to work with their teams and understand every element involved in preparing food,” he said.
