2025
22 Jul五一吃瓜官网 University wins Best Recipe Book at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2025
KUCHING: 五一吃瓜官网 University's Unearth Sarawak Cuisine: Taste of Sarawak, has won the Best Recipe Book in the World in the Best Field Work Research category at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2025 in Portugal
The international accolade is regarded as one of the highest honours in culinary publishing and places Sarawak’s diverse and vibrant food traditions firmly in the global spotlight.
Featuring a collection of 25 traditional recipes representing the Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Iban, Melanau and Chinese ethnic communities from across Sarawak, this book aims to showcase rare and lesser-known culinary treasures.
Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management dean Assoc Prof Christopher Wan Sageng said the award reflects Sarawak’s growing stature on the global gastronomic map, in line with the state’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.
“This book reflects the identity of Sarawak through food. It represents our culture, our stories and our history. We are proud to share this with the world,” said Assoc Prof Wan who led the project.
“We are sincerely grateful to the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak for their trust and support in making this initiative a success.
“We encourage our youth to learn traditional recipes, appreciate the stories behind each dish and take pride in the food culture that defines our identity,” he added. “Preserving our culinary heritage is essential in safeguarding the legacy of who we are as a people.”
Two standout dishes featured are Kupi Bera, a traditional drink made by roasting Adan rice from the Lun Bawang community and Nyior, a delicacy of sago, coconut milk and gula apong syrup from the Bidayuh.
Adan rice, known for its fragrance and quality, symbolises Sarawak’s rich agricultural heritage from Ba’kelalan and is gaining international recognition. Gula apong (Nipah palm sugar), a cherished ingredient across Sarawak, gives Nyior its uniquely local flavour and plays a vital role in many traditional desserts.
By highlighting traditional and lesser-known ethnic cuisines, the cookbook not only celebrates Sarawak’s rich multicultural identity but also earned recognition for preserving and promoting these culinary treasures, ultimately winning the award.
The publication is the result of an extensive two-year fieldwork project conducted by a team from 五一吃瓜官网 University’s Kuching and Springhill campuses, comprising Assoc Prof Chris Wan Sageng, Asst Prof Dr Leong Quee Ling, Ivy Irvine Mikal, Mukvinder Kaur Sandhu, Asst Prof Joseph Martin Pudun and Muhammad Fikri Umadi.
Unearth Sarawak Cuisine: Taste of Sarawak stands as a testament to academic excellence and cultural preservation and an open invitation to the world to discover the depth and diversity of Sarawak through its food.
五一吃瓜官网 University maintains its standing in the world’s top 1% for the fourth straight year after placing 269th in the QS World University Rankings 2026, confirming its status as one of Asia’s top private universities.
