03/05/2025

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Home chefs battle it out in live showdown HOME cooking recently took centre stage at 1 Mont Kiara as eight home chefs battled it out in the first-ever Prego Home Chef Live Showdown. Held at the mall’s concourse area, the competition brought culinary skills to life as contestants competed for the coveted title and a grand prize of RM2,000. All eight had earned their place after winning Prego’s earlier Master the Menu contest, qualifying them for this live cook-off. The event, organised by Prego, consisted of two rounds: a preliminary cook-off and a high-stakes final where only two chefs advanced. In the preliminary round, contestants were judged by food content creator Nurul Ain and professional chef Jay, founder of Base Pasta & Bistro. The final round placed the decision in the hands of the audience, who voted for the ultimate winner. Emerging as the champion was Jeanette Faustina Effendi, who impressed judges and the crowd despite facing hurdles during the competition. It marked her first live cooking contest and her first experience preparing food with plastic gloves. Jeanette’s opening dish, a Chicken Parmigiana featuring tomato-based pasta topped with fried chicken and melted cheese, drew praise for its subtle Japanese flavour, a nod to her inspiration from chicken katsu. In the final round, the top two contestants faced a new challenge: creating a dish for 10 people within 45 minutes using Prego ingredients and two shrimps. Jeanette adapted quickly, preparing a cream-based pasta accented with lemon juice to balance the richness, while finely mincing the shrimps as the dish’s main protein. Her careful attention to flavour and balance helped her edge out fellow finalist Siti Zaitun by a single vote from the enthusiastic crowd. Even after injuring her finger with a knife during the competition, Jeanette remained calm and carried on. “I just joined for fun and did not expect to win. I am used to cooking for my friends who often come over every weekend – sometimes up to 15 people,” she shared. The Prego Home Chef Live Showdown aimed to celebrate culinary creativity while showcasing resilience and resourcefulness in the kitchen.

TLFP Royal Patron Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim touring the new facility.

The Lost Food Project marks 10 years with new facility o NGO reaffirms mission to battle hunger

“Malaysia has made food security a national priority, and our work proves that food rescue must be part of that conversation,” added Mooney. Since its founding in 2015, TLFP has served 25 million meals to date through the rescue of 9 million kg of surplus food while avoiding 22 million kg of greenhouse gas emissions. TLFP’s efforts contribute to more than 20,000 B40 families, 150,000 underserved people, 50 PPRs and 107 charities across Malaysia on a monthly basis. The new facility was made possible through the support of Pos Malaysia, donors, corporate partners and government collaborators who share TLFP’s vision of a more equitable and sustainable food system. As TLFP steps into its second decade, the organisation reaffirmed its commitment to systemic change through advocacy, education and community empowerment. flavours, each crafted with fresh ingredients and a rich blend of traditional spices: 0 Ayam Goreng Berempah is made with fresh onions and a delicious blend of spices. 0 Ayam Percik combines fresh onions, garlic and lemongrass for a balanced mix of sweet and spicy flavours. 0 The Black Pepper variant features a blend of black pepper and fresh onions. 0 The new Satay variant is made with lemongrass, turmeric and aromatic spices to deliver the iconic taste beloved by Malaysians. This marinade paste range aims to allow consumers to spend less time in the kitchen and more quality time enjoying good food moments with loved ones. The Maggi air fryer-friendly marinade series is available at major hypermarkets and supermarkets nationwide at a recommended retail price of RM4.90 per pack, with a serving size of six portions.

to scale its operations, improve food handling capacity and increase efficiency in rescuing and redistributing surplus, nutritious food to those in need. TLFP founder Suzanne Mooney said: “With this new space, we are able to rescue and distribute more food than ever before – efficiently, safely and with dignity. “As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, this facility is not just about growth – it is a reflection of the strength of our community, our partners and our volunteers. Together, we have proven that no good food should go to waste while people go hungry.” The new sorting hub will enable TLFP to increase its capacity to rescue surplus, nutritious food from landfills and redirect it to vulnerable communities. This directly supports Malaysia’s goals to reduce food loss, enhance the resilience of local food systems and uplift underserved populations – all while lowering the carbon footprint of the nation’s food supply chain.

F OOD bank NGO The Lost Food Project (TLFP) recently moved to its new “home” in Chan Sow Lin, located right in the city centre. The milestone commemorates 10 years of bridging the gap between surplus and need – a mission that has nourished hundreds of thousands of lives while protecting the environment, and also coincides with Malaysia’s commitment to national food security and sustainable development. This move marks a step forward in TLFP’s mission to combat hunger and reduce food waste – vital components of Malaysia’s National Food Security Policy Action Plan 2021–2025. The new facility enhances TLFP’s ability WITH air fryers now found in 42% of Malaysian households, the trend towards fast, convenient home-cooked meals has never been stronger. Responding to this growing shift, Nestle Malaysia has launched its new Maggi air fryer-friendly range of marinade pastes for “ perap ”, featuring a new satay variant alongside its repositioned marinade range. Malaysia is one of the first markets globally where these pastes, designed for air fryers, have been introduced. They make enjoying the authentic taste of Malaysian favourites easy. Made with fresh, high-quality ingredients, these marinade pastes are crafted by Maggi’s chefs authentic to the way they are traditionally prepared – as if cooked from scratch. Doing away with time-consuming preparation, they offer a convenient solution in just two easy steps – marinate and air fry. So,

New range of marinade pastes for air fryers

it is easier than ever to serve beloved local flavours, even on the busiest of days. The new Maggi air fryer-friendly “ perap ” marinade series features four Malaysian The Maggi air fryer-friendly ‘ perap ’ marinade series makes enjoying the authentic taste of Malaysian favourites easy.

Jeanette in the final stages of preparing her cream-based pasta during the last round of the competition.