NEW MALAYSIAN KITCHEN PROGRAMME TO BE LAUNCHED APRIL

From Massita Ahmad

AMSTERDAM, March 8 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of International Trade and
Industry will be launching the new Malaysian Kitchen Programme model, an
initiative to create awareness globally of Malaysian restaurants overseas, end
of this April.

Under the programme which will be re-arranged, focus is expected to be given
to promotional activities.

"We want to promote Malaysian restaurants overseas so that they would get
more customers," International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa
Mohamed told Bernama here on Sunday.

Financing under the programme, given through Exim Bank, will be also
re-arranged to make it more easily accessible.

Since October last year, the programme has been under the purview of the
Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE).

More than 500 Malaysian restaurants have already been identified all over
the world.

Under the programme, Malaysian restaurants can participate by providing
their restaurant’s address, opening hours, the top five Malaysian dishes on
their menu, type of restaurant be it fine dining or family restaurant as well as
photographs.

The information will be published on the Malaysian Kitchen Programme portal
at www.malaysiankitchen.my.

Mustapa said the government will not be involved in the opening of new
restaurants as it had done previously but will help the restaurants become more
successful.

MATRADE on its part will up promotional efforts, and among them it would be
marketing, through the portal, the restaurants to the people and Malaysians
living in the respective countries.

Mustapa is currently heading an 8-day trade and investment mission to three
main cities in Europe, namely Amsterdam, Hamburg and Birmingham.

Apart from helping the restaurants progress in their business, the Malaysian
Kitchen Programme is also intended to help promote Malaysia as a tourist
destination.

"As Malaysian restaurants gain worldwide recognition, it will help in the
country's efforts to raise the number of tourists to the country as well as
attract further investments and trade into our country," he said.

Benefits for restaurants participating under the programme include
promotional support such as publication of reviews of their restaurants by
culinary journalists and travel writers in the portal.

The financing facility from Exim Bank is available both for new as well as
existing Malaysian restaurants overseas.

Assistance is also offered in the area of training local talents to become
chefs, development of authentic Malaysian recipes, and sourcing for Malaysian
food ingredients.

Mustapa said 11 Malaysian restaurant owners in Holland have indicated their
interest in participating in the programme.

The minister earlier also met up with Malaysian businessmen here including
the restaurant operators.

Among the issues raised by the restaurant operators included the
difficulties in getting Malaysian chefs.

"To ensure that the restaurants promote Malaysian brands, we certainly need
chefs from Malaysia who are able to cook Malaysian food well," he said.

Apart from Europe, Australia also has a high number of Malaysian food
restaurants.

--BERNAMA