KUCHING: MAGGI® is strengthening efforts to preserve East Malaysian culinary heritage by encouraging younger generations in Sarawak and Sabah to take up traditional festive cooking during the Gawai and Kaamatan celebrations.
Business Executive Officer of MAGGI® Malaysia and Singapore, Ivy Tan Link Cheh, said the initiative aims to help young home cooks gain confidence in preparing traditional dishes that are often passed down orally within families.
“We want every young cook in Sabah and Sarawak to know they are not alone in that kitchen. MAGGI® has been part of Malaysian cooking for generations because it gives people confidence when it matters most.
“Cooking these dishes for the first time, however nervously, is exactly how traditions stay alive,” she said in a statement.
As part of the campaign, MAGGI® has collaborated with Sarawak food heritage advocate, Karen R. Yap, and Sabahan chef, Melvin Gatu, to promote traditional recipes from their respective states and encourage their continued practice among younger generations.
Karen, who grew up in an Iban longhouse near Marudi, has spent years documenting and reviving recipes from Sarawak’s diverse ethnic communities through her supper club, Karen’s Ethnic Plate.
She said traditional ethnic dishes carry cultural narratives that extend beyond taste.
“Our ethnic food carries so much more than flavour. It reflects the ingredients available in our environment and tells the story of a way of life and culture.
“But we are at the cusp of losing what is not written down. Every time we try, even imperfectly, we are keeping alive something that needs to survive,” she said.
Among the Sarawak dishes she is showcasing are Ayam Kampung Umbut Pisang (free-range chicken with banana pith), Sambal Ikan Masin Gonjeng (salted fish sambal), and Tenggiri Terung Dayak (Spanish mackerel with Sarawak sour eggplant), all of which highlight ingredients closely associated with local communities and traditional cooking practices.
Meanwhile, Chef Melvin, a native of Ranau who has dedicated his career to preserving Kadazan-Dusun cuisine, said many young people are hesitant to attempt traditional dishes due to their complexity.
“There is a lot of nervousness around cooking these dishes for the first time. What MAGGI® does is reduce the fear enough to let people try. And trying is everything,” he said.
His featured dishes include Binuburan Manuk Kampung, also known as Bubur Yilik, a family recipe dating back more than a century, and Linombur Bubuk Om Tulod-Ulod, a traditional Kadazan-Dusun side dish that has become less common on festive tables.
According to MAGGI®, modern lifestyles and unwritten family recipes have contributed to the gradual decline of some traditional dishes, making it increasingly important to document and simplify preparation methods without compromising authenticity.
The company said all five featured recipes are available on the MAGGI® Malaysia website throughout the festive season alongside additional Gawai and Kaamatan-inspired recipes developed using MAGGI® products.
In conjunction with the celebrations, MAGGI® is also running its ‘Jom Masak & Menang Bersama MAGGI®’ contest from May 1 to June 30, 2026.
The campaign offers prizes worth more than RM150,000, including a Ford Ranger XL as the grand prize and a range of cooking appliances and weekly e-wallet rewards.
MAGGI® said that for every contest entry submitted, 10 sen will be donated to Hopes Malaysia Welfare Association in Sabah and Helping Hands Penan in Sarawak to support local communities.
Participants can enter by purchasing MAGGI® products worth at least RM8 and submitting their entries through physical forms or digital platforms.
