CHEF Laura Jane Bara’s deep love for Sarawak’s food traditions began in her grandmother’s kitchen and continues today through her cooking, mentoring, and community work. From traditional jungle ingredients to modern seasonings, she blends old and new to keep ethnic recipes alive – sharing stories, preserving heritage, and inspiring pride in Sarawak’s rich culinary culture.
Legacy in Every Ladle
Food has a unique way of evoking memories from the past, rekindling a deep sense of familiarity and sentiment. Reminiscing about her younger days, Laura Jane Bara recalled how her grandmother would toss raw ingredients from the jungle into one pot to make ‘sup terjun’ – a sight that continues to fascinate her to this day.
From bunga kantan (torch ginger) to tepus (wild ginger) and other leafy vegetables, the pot would brim with goodness, reflecting the simplicity of village life.
“By mixing everything together, the soup – cooked with pomfret caught by my grandfather – was infused with many flavours, and it felt wholesome,” said the 61-year-old.
A chef by profession, Laura has always found herself drawn back to the kitchen – ruffling through ingredients, understanding flavour profiles, and thinking up good recipes. Though she studied and worked in New Zealand for several years, her passion remains rooted in Sarawak’s food culture.
She believes that preserving such cultural artefacts ensures Sarawak’s culinary traditions will not be lost.
“Cooking our Dayak cuisine brings me right back to my roots and fills me with pride. I remember organising cultural food workshops in schools, and the students were often fascinated by the ingredients I brought – and the dishes that came out of them,” she says.
Seeing the students’ gleaming faces as they packed food home for their mothers filled Laura with joy.
“They’re proud of their culture, and that’s why I hope Sarawak’s ethnic cuisine becomes a source of pride for many Sarawakians,” she added.
As a member of the Kuching Chefs Association and the Culinary Heritage and Arts Society, Sarawak (CHASS), Laura’s culinary journey began early – encouraged by her mother to learn basic cooking.
“My mother used to say girls should know basic cooking and housework. Simple things like cooking rice or boiling an egg – she said it’s essential to be able to take care of oneself,” Laura shared.
By the age of 12, she had already learned how to cook kacangma (motherwort herb), a traditional Sarawakian dish prepared during the postpartum confinement period. She made the dish for her mother after the birth of her fourth sister.
Living a cook’s life, Laura finds joy in feeding others.
“I love entertaining with food. It’s satisfying to see people finish everything I cook. People always say that whenever they visit me, they never leave hungry. I bake and cook every day, so there’s always something to eat,” she continued.
Laura is also thankful for the opportunity to pursue culinary studies later in life. Today, her passion allows her to give back to the community – either by inspiring others to cook or by helping organise culinary events. She believes Sarawak’s food culture must be preserved and passed down, as food tells the story of who we are.
Passing Down Recipes
Recipes from the past offer a window into history – through both taste and preparation. But with technological advancements, the way we cook has changed. What was once prepared in bamboo can now be made with modern pots. Though some elements have evolved, the dish still serves as a reminder of our roots.
That’s what Laura believes in – by preserving the flavours of age-old recipes, stories from the past can travel into the future, one taste bud at a time. As she explores Sarawak’s ethnic cuisine, she adapts traditional recipes using modern cooking appliances. She also incorporates seasonings from the Maggi brand to enhance the taste of the past.
“One time, when I was cooking for Gawai with my daughter, I told her stories about my grandparents. It was a precious moment – reliving the past through food. We decided to make ‘sup terjun’ and added Maggi Cukup Rasa seasoning and Maggi Sambal Tumis,” she said.
The soup, enhanced with those seasonings, became more flavourful and visually appealing with the glistening surface of released oils.
“These products are innovations that every kitchen should have. They make life easier and help boost appetites,” says Laura.
Maggi has always had a place in Laura’s life.
“We always had Maggi instant noodles at home. And whenever we travelled overseas, we packed Maggi cup noodles in our luggage,” she enthused.
From chicken to asam laksa to curry flavours, Maggi cup noodles stand out from the rest. The springiness and texture of the noodles – and the rich flavour of the broth – always remind Laura of home when she’s abroad.
Continuing her mission to preserve
Now residing in Kuching, Sarawak, Laura devotes her time to mentoring young students and participating in community events. After years of professional experience in New Zealand’s kitchens, she now works with CHASS to preserve Sarawak’s traditional cuisines.
Having introduced Sarawak’s food to the international stage, Laura is now passionate about promoting linut (sago flour cooked with hot water), a staple of the Melanau community.
“It’s part of Sarawak, but it’s not widely recognised. It deserves more attention,” she says.
Her approach to reintroducing the ethnic dish involves serving it with a bowl of terung Dayak (sour eggplant, a common fruit found in Sarawak) and tepus chicken soup, with a dollop of linut in the middle, topped with sambal belacan (shrimp paste sambal). She demonstrated this dish at a gastronomy event in Macau two years ago – and it was well received.
Blending age-old techniques with modern culinary innovations, Laura remains committed to her mission: to keep the spirit of Sarawak’s food alive and to inspire others to embrace their roots. Her story is a testament to the power of food in preserving heritage, telling stories, and bridging generations.
