Text by Corina Tan
Awarded as one of the Top 10 Beaches worldwide by National Geographic, the tranquil Datai Bay is home to the stunning The Datai Langkawi. Located in an ancient rainforest, the iconic property is one of the world’s most stunning resorts, offering breath-taking views of nature. The resort offers a diverse choice of dining experiences inspired by culinary traditions around the world, including award winning The Gulai House, The Pavillion, The Dining Room and The Beach Club.
This June, The Datai Langkawi seeks to tantalise tastebuds even further at the resort’s famed The Dapur cooking school. Meaning ‘kitchen’ in Malay, The Dapur is a place where guests can learn to create iconic dishes in a hands-on immersive gastronomic experience with fresh ingredients from the resort’s very own Permaculture Garden.
The Dapur
The Gulai House which is built in a traditional kampung house style, houses the fully set-up cooking studio where guests will learn how to cook a curated two-course menu, showcasing an authentic selection of specialties from Malay, Indian or Thai cuisine, with the help of the resort’s own resident chefs. The culinary journey begins with a guided walk through the innovative and sustainable zero-waste organic food production system that includes a closed-loop waste management process, where guests are then invited to pick from a wide variety of fruit, vegetables and herbs, including Ulam Raja (King’s Salad), Galangal (Siamese ginger) and lemongrass. Donning chef aprons and hats, guests will have the opportunity to learn the art of preparation, cooking and food presentation, picking up the required skills to produce some of the resort’s signature dishes.
Chef Jais showcases Malay cuisine with signature dishes including Kerabu Udang Kelapa Parut (Langkawi prawn salad tossed with fresh grated coconut, green island herbs and chili paste) and Rendang Ayam Utara (slow cooked chicken, lemongrass, galangal, roasted coconut, turmeric leaf and local spices); with an emphasis on strong aromatic and spicy flavours. Thai chef Som Keat’s signature dishes include a traditional Tom Yam Goong (spicy prawn soup), and Gai Phad Khing Sod (stir-fried chicken with young ginger and wood ear mushrooms); and utilising the whole flavour palette, Indian chef Ari’s showcases include Chana Salad (chickpea salad) and Methi fish curry (Indian fish curry, fenugreek leaf, masala spices, tomato and cream).
Upon successful completion of these delightful dishes, guests are invited to enjoy their culinary creations with a specially paired glass of wine, before being presented with a certificate of accomplishment.
The Dapur will also be a place where children are invited to participate in the resort’s ‘Little Chef’ class, led by Executive Pastry Chef Baharuddin. Recipes range from peanut butter or chocolate chip cookies, to ‘monkey muffins’ and profiteroles. This hands-on class will provide a chance to sharpen children’s life skills and creativity, while building confidence as budding young cooks and bakers. The Dapur provides a safe and conducive environment for interactive learning and self-discovery.
More information on The Dapur and Little Chef may be obtained from the resort’s website at https://www.thedatai.com/experiences/cooking-class/ or by calling +60 4950 0500.
