MATRADE, the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation, has launched a 10 part Malaysian cookery series on UK TV, featuring Masterchef’s popular presenter, Australian chef John Torode.
The show follows Torode as he travels throughout Malaysia from Kuala Lumpur through to Langkawi Island off the northern coast. He cooks with local chefs, visits colourful night markets and explores the impact of history and culture on the evolution of Malaysian food.
Back in the UK, he re-imagines Malaysian cuisine inspired by his journey and creates an array of recipes for viewers to try themselves. He also gets top tips from celebrity restaurateurs and chefs based in the UK, such as the previous Malaysia Kitchen Brand Ambassador and UK MasterChef 2014 winner, Ping Coombes.
Viewers are also encouraged to pick up Malaysian ingredients needed to recreate the dishes with a 25% discount at the Malaysia Kitchen shop on online grocery store Ocado.
The TV show is the latest addition to MATRADE’s six year old integrated Malaysia Kitchen campaign, which has been using a range of different marketing techniques to bring the sights, sounds and tastes of Malaysia into UK homes and onto UK streets.
The Malaysia Kitchen campaign was created for MATRADE by UK integrated marketing agency whynot!
whynot! also developed the concept for the new TV series and bought together UKTV’s Good Food Channel and producers Cactus TV, makers of popular morning TV show, Saturday Kitchen. The cookery series has been filmed through the dramatic and varied landscape of Malaysia and also in the UK, documenting the renowned chef’s highly individual take on Malaysian cuisine.
whynot! developed and implemented a full media plan across national newspapers, foodie magazines, outdoor media including London Underground, digital banners, John Torode and Good Food Channel websites, and a spectrum of social media to ensure mass awareness of the show.
The long-running Malaysia Kitchen campaign has been extremely successful in raising the profile of Malaysian cuisine in the UK and driving sales of Malaysian products amongst more adventurous UK households. It runs a number of events around the country, including a Malaysian Spring Market Food Fair in London’s South Bank quarter and Malaysia Night in Trafalgar Square, both of which attract thousands of people.
