MasterChef judges spark international outrage after telling Malaysian woman her native dish 'was not crispy enough'

The judges were accused of 'whitesplaining' the Southeast Asian dish 
Martin Coulter3 April 2018

Malaysians have hit out at reality cooking show MasterChef after a contestant was booted off because an element of their dish was not "crispy enough".

John Torode and Gregg Wallace, judges on the BBC reality show, told Malaysian-born Zaleha Kadir Olpin her chicken rendang needed a crispier skin.

While presenting the dish, Ms Olpin told them: "There was a special stall outside my school that sold the best nasi lemak so I used to save up pocket money on Fridays...It is very special to me."

But Mr Wallace told her: "I like the rendang flavour, there's a coconut sweetness. However, the chicken skin isn't crispy.

"It can't be eaten and all the sauce is on the skin so I can't eat it."

Ms Olpin, pictured left in the front row, with her fellow contestants
BBC/Shine TV Ltd

Malaysian commentators took to social media to express their outrage with his comments, saying rendang is a stew and the meat should be tender - not crispy.

One wrote on Facebook: "If they want crispy chicken, they should go to KFC."

Meanwhile @nicoteane wrote on Twitter: "I love how Malaysians and Indonesians unite against one common enemy: Uncultured swines who dare to whitesplain rendang."

Another wrote: "Utter ridiculousness. Crispy chicken rendang? You think this is fish and chips Judges? Don't be a judge if you don't know how to judge.

"Call themselves 'chef/celebrity chef' and they only know about their own food from their own culture. Shame on them really."

Calling out John Torode on Twitter, viewer Nadirah Othman wrote: "Maybe regardless of origin, no rendang is cooked crispy or with the sauce on the side.

"You are more than welcome to visit [Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand] to sample some chicken and beef rendang. Bring your friend Greg Wallace too!"

He responded: "Thank you so much for your input...We could argue of course as to its origin and whether chicken is classic or an adaptation.

"Love this !! Brilliant how excited you are all getting...Namaste."

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