07/09/2026
I thought I was showing them Malaysia.
I didn’t expect Malaysia to teach me so much.
I grew up in Malaysia, migrated to Australia and built a new life there.
For many years, Malaysia was simply the place I came from.
But when I returned to host my own Malaysian foodie tour, I came home with different eyes.
I wasn’t a tourist anymore.
I was introducing people to a place that had shaped me.
And suddenly, the things I had taken for granted became meaningful again.
The hawker food. (The same uncle behind the flaming wok)
The stories behind the dishes. ( Winnie’s story how she owned a Michelin bib Gourmand Nyonya restaurant when her background was a pastry chef)
The warmth of the people ( even the drivers turned photographer)
The incredible mix of cultures. ( when you have Malay, Chinese and Indian food all in a day)
The simple act of sitting around a table and sharing a meal.
I realised that food can carry so much.
Memory.
Culture.
Identity.
Belonging.
And perhaps that’s what happens when you migrate.
You don’t leave one home behind and simply create another.
You carry pieces of both with you.
Hosting this tour reminded me that GlobalFoodSocial isn’t really about taking people to eat.
It’s about creating moments where people feel connected to a place, to its people, to its culture and sometimes even to a part of themselves.
So yes, I came home to show people Malaysia.
But in the process, I rediscovered a little more of my own story.
And that might be the most meaningful part of this journey so far.
