MasterChef judge Greg Wallace has been slammed after criticising a Malaysian contestant for serving rendang without “crispy skin”.
A Malaysian contestant who was eliminated from MasterChef for serving rendang without “crispy skin” has caused the internet to erupt.
In an episode of MasterChef UK, judges John Torode and Greg Wallace were not impressed by Malaysian contestant Zalehda Kadir Olpin’s chicken rendang as it was not served with “crispy skin”. The judges also said the dish should not be served with Malaysian staple nasi lemak.
“I like your rendang flavour, that’s like a coconut sweetness,” said Greg Wallace. “However, the chicken skin isn’t crispy, it can’t be eaten. All the sauces on the skin, I can’t eat.”
“I think the chicken rendang on the side is a mistake,” said John Torode.
Malaysians, Singaporeans, Indonesians and Bruneians expressed their outrage on social media as the traditional rendang dish is not associated with crispy skin.
“Rendang will never be crispy.” wrote one Twitter user.
“If #rendang is supposed to be crispy then maybe English scones should be too,” wrote another. “Also tea should smells coffee and taste like banana. Fish N Chips should be soggy and eaten with wasabi. @GreggAWallace #rendanggate #RendangCrispy #RendangIsNotCrispy #MasterChefUK”
Another simply wrote, “As a Brit that has lived in Malaysia for forty years, I can assure you John that Rendang Chicken never ever has crispy skin. A great injustice has been done.”
If #rendang is supposed to be crispy then maybe English scones should be too. Also tea should smells coffee and taste like banana. Fish N Chips should be soggy and eaten with wasabi. @GreggAWallace #rendanggate #RendangCrispy #RendangIsNotCrispy #MasterChefUK
— Kaizxa Ng (@kaizxang) April 4, 2018
The Rendang will never be crispy.
— Harvinth Skin (@harvinthskin) April 3, 2018
As a Brit that has lived in Malaysia for forty years, I can assure you John that Rendang Chicken never ever has crispy skin. A great injustice has been done.
— Eileen Swoffer (@mamachablis) April 3, 2018
Even Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak expressed his anger. “Does anyone eat chicken rendang ‘crispy’?” he wrote on Twitter.
“Maybe you are confusing rendang chicken with KFC,” political rival Mahathir Mohamad said.
Mana ada orang makan rendang ayam ‘crispy’? #MalaysianFood pic.twitter.com/nWBbaVN8HY
— Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) April 3, 2018
Maybe you are confusing rendang chicken with KFC https://t.co/yjsw0CeFtR
— Dr Mahathir Mohamad (@chedetofficial) April 3, 2018
Fast food restaurant KFC responded on Instagram, “The only thing that should be crispy is our fried chicken. Kudos, Masterchef @z.olpin ”
Malaysian Airlines also weighed in on their Facebook, “If the crispy conversations have got you craving for some nasi lemak, served with REAL chicken rendang, sambal, boiled egg, ikan bilis and peanuts, just come on board. Guaranteed NON-CRISPY.”
Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said the judges were guilty of “whitesplaining.”
“It’s amusing when foreigners try to teach Malaysians on their own traditional dish. It prompts us to ask whether this is a form of ‘whitesplaining’ on social media,” Anifah Aman wrote on Facebook.
