More Malaysian Kitchen Restaurants abroad expected

The Malaysian Kitchen restaurants will be run based on a franchise system or fine dining concept, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

Malaysian fine dining restaurants had opened in London, Beijing and Hyderabad through the project, he said.

“We have also identified Doha in Qatar and are in the midst of discussing with the owner,” he added.

Last Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said there were about 400 Malaysian restaurants abroad under the Malaysian Kitchen concept, but by 2015 the Government hopes to see 8,000 of them across the globe.

The Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Ministry (MECD) will identify the restaurants while the Tourism Ministry will promote them, said Tengku Adnan after launching the Global Indian Shopping Festival (GISF) 2007 here yesterday.

On a swing: Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk S.Veerasingam (centre) and Tengku Adnan trying a swing from India while Eventza Creations co-director Mogana Mageswari looks on during the opening of GISF 2007 on Sunday.

However, while the Tourism Ministry oversees the fine dining projects, MECD manages the franchise system sector.

Tengku Adnan said restaurants under the Malaysian Kitchen concept could only promote Malaysian food while providing a Malaysian ambience.

Food promotion was carried out recently in Japan and Korea and it will soon be launched in Beijing, he added.

“MECD has planned 20 menus of Malaysian cuisine. The ingredients were sent from Malaysia.”

He also urged the private sector to take Malaysian traders to India just as Indians brought their people to Malaysia for the GISF.

“Besides introducing to them what we have, we can also attract them to come to Malaysia,” he said.

Source : STAR
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