Kuala Lampur, March 1 -- Malaysia's culinary landscape, often hailed as a "food paradise," is a vibrant tapestry of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and subethnic traditions. Yet, a recent encounter with an Australian tourist in Kuala Lumpur exposed a glaring gap in how this heritage is presented to tourists through commercial food tours. While these tours promise cultural immersion, their focus on commercialised eateries risks diluting the very essence of Malaysia's gastronomic identity.

The promise and pitfalls of commercial food tours

During a recent catch-up with an Australian friend visiting Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Ipoh, and Penang, she shared her experience with two commercial food tours she had enrolled in-one in the capital and another in ...