Did you know that bird's nest is actually made of bird's saliva?

Red bird’s nest, known as blood nest, have recently become the vogue for bird’s nest consumers, who prize the red tinge of the product. It now seems that the red tinge is a result of nitrates in the nests, which are actually artificially introduced. It remains to be seen how this entire issue will play out, but seeing as how many bird’s nest operators enter the business for profit, it is likely that they are the same ones who chose to introduce potentially harmful chemicals to boost their profits.

And did you know that bird’s nest is actually made of bird’s saliva?

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Two wholesalers who operate hundreds of outlets in Guangzhou, China, have removed Malaysian bird’s nests from their shelves following a directive from the country’s authorities, reported Nanyang Siang Pau.

The daily quoted Veterinary Services Department director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin as describing the move as “serious”.

“We must arrange for talks between representatives from both countries,” he said.

Dr Abdul Aziz said Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed would represent Malaysia in the talks.

It was reported that Chinese authorities had been concerned over the excessive level of nitrite found in red bird’s nests, widely known as blood nests, imported from Malaysia.

The daily also said Federation of Bird’s Nest Merchants Association chairman Datuk Beh Heng Seong, who is now in Guangzhou, had expressed shock when he learned about the removal of bird’s nests on Monday.

Source: The Star

Photo (c) stu_spivack

Two of Malaysia's favourite dishes, Penang laksa and cendol

The restaurant has been fined and will close until the situation is rectified. The issue of hygiene is clear cut, would we want to eat in a place that is dirty and unhygienic? The logical answer is, of course, no, right?

But what about roadside stalls and backalley shops that sell us our daily roti canai and other Malaysian delicacies? Malaysians still frequent these spots, seemingly without any ill effects whatsoever. Why then the double standard? If we get all squirmy about rats and cockroaches in the kitchen, why not get upset when a rat or cockroach goes past us when we are eating by the drain? Do we really accept different standards of hygiene based on the price we pay? Or should we start to rethink about the way we view the food and beverage industry?

Now, that’s really food for thought. Tell us what YOU think.

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Yet another eatery has been told to cease operations and clean up its kitchen after a City Hall inspection, recently.

Restoran Al-Esfan in The Boulevard, MidValley City was slapped with a close order by City Hall because of cockroach and rat infestations in the kitchen.

City Hall health department director Dr Sallehudin Abu Bakar ordered the 24-hour restaurant to shut down for a week beginning yesterday to facilitate a major clean-up of the premises.

Dr Sallehudin and his team of 10 officers raided the restaurant on Tuesday afternoon following complaints on the restaurant’s low level of cleanliness from the public.

During the inspection, Dr Sallehudin and the officers found the area where beverages were made and the kitchen where food was cooked to be infested with cockroaches. They also saw a rat and some droppings in the kitchen.

The closure was done under Section 21B of the Federal Territory License Food Establishment 1985 bylaw.

After inspecting the restaurant, Dr Sallehudin described its kitchen’s condition as atrocious.

“We found cockroach infestation and a rat in the kitchen. The floor was also wet and slippery. We examined the freezer and found it poorly maintained. Raw food materials were not properly placed and the racks were on verge of collapse.

“Furthermore, there is no proper lighting in the kitchen, which also sorely lacks ventilation,” he said.

Dr Sallehudin said his officers visited the restaurant four days ago for an initial inspection and had advised the operator to improve the restaurant’s conditions.

However, during the raid, it was discovered that the advice had not been taken seriously, leaving the department with no choice but to issue the close order.

“Since they did not heed our advice, we took the affirmative action to shut down the restaurant temporarily. They are given a week to clean up and they will have to comply with our requirements.

“We will also revisit the restaurant to assess its cleanliness and if it is found to be up to our standard, we will allow them to reopen,” he said.

He said cockroaches were also found in an uncovered tub of margarine, and such careless disregard for hygiene could cause serious health problems for their diners.

Dr Sallehudin also noted that the food waste was not disposed of properly, and that the cooking oil’s colour and texture had led him to suspect that it was recycled.

The restaurant operator, he added, had also committed an offence by allowing customers to light up within its enclosed premises, which had been declared a no-smoking zone.

The restaurant operator had not attempted to stop the customers from smoking there.

The restaurant operator, who did not want to be named, said they had been operating at The Boulevard for 10 years.

“We clean up once a year but it looks like we will have to do it more frequently now,” he said.

Source: New Straits Times

Group managing director, Datuk Mohammad Nazar Samad said the company, which currently operates 39 outlets in Peninsular Malaysia, is negotiating with related parties in Sabah and Sarawak for the new openings.

“We are looking to open a number of stores simultaneously in both states, to avoid unnecessary financial outflow. We are currently focusing on shopping malls situated in the region for easy access to our restaurants,”

he added.

Mohammad Nazar was speaking to reporters after launching the refurbished A&W restaurant — Malaysia’s first fast food outlet — in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (formerly Batu Road).

The Minister of Federal Territories and Urban Well-being, Senator Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin, graced the occasion.

In a related development, Mohammad Nazar said, KUB expects its food and beverages (F&B) division to be a major contributor to the Group’s overall turnover by 2013.

“Currently, the division is contributing less than ten per cent annually,” he explained.

Under the F&B division, the company manages A&W Restaurants (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, A&W Restaurants (Thailand) Co. Ltd, KUB Agrotech Sdn Bhd and KUB Sepadu Sdn Bhd.

KUB Malaysia is an investment holding company, operating in the core business of information, communication & technologies (ICT), property & construction as well as food and beverage industries.

Source: Bernama

Currently, Nestle is estimated to have secured more than 35 per cent of the local out-of-home market which is worth RM11.2 billion.

“Double does not mean that by 2014, we will be able to reach 70 per cent of the total market. We are targeting to double our share as the market will be getting bigger too,”

said Nestle Professional’s regional business head for Asia, Oceania and Africa, Friedrich G. Mahler.

He said for the past five years, growth for the company in the out-of-home market was in a range of 15 to 17 per cent.

Nestle Professional Malaysia’s executive director Zainun Nur Abdul Rauf said the company has been working hard since last year to achieve the current target.

“The partnership with food and beverage operators, providing variations and concoctions created with our range of Nescafe beverages, and the global increase in modern gadgets for making coffee are the main factors behind our target,”

she said.

Zainun and Mahler were speaking to reporters after the launch of Nescafe Burgundy, a new instant coffee mixer, here today. Also present was Nestle Malaysia’s managing director Peter R. Vogt.

Vogt said Malaysia was the first country in the Asia, Oceania and Africa region to launch the new coffee mixer as Nestle considered the country a fast-growing market in the out-of-home sector.

Based on a recent study by Nestle, Malaysians spent 35 per cent of their total food and beverage expenses out-of-home and the remainder at home.

“This figure is better when compared with those from past years and other neighbouring countries,” Vogt said.

He also said that the figure will change rapidly as people around the world are now turning towards the out-of-home concept as they have less time to prepare anything at home.

Nestle Professional responds to the needs of out-of-home operators like cafes, offices, food courts and quick service restaurants.

Set up in 2008, the unit contributed more than 15 per cent to Nestle Malaysia’s turnover for the financial year ending December 2008, which was RM3.877 billion.

Source: Bernama

In conjunction with the Grand Opening, Four Points also set the record for the Tallest Cupcake Display in Malaysia, an attempt endorsed by The Malaysia Book of Records. The record attempt was witnessed by the Prime Minister as well as Datuk Danny Ooi, Managing Director of The Malaysia Book of Records.

Four Points by Sheraton Kuching is located 2 kilometers from the Kuching International Airport and just 15 minutes from the heart of the city. The hotel, the city’s first International opening in almost 2 decades, will cater to both business and leisure travelers while also offering a complete range of meeting and banquet facilities.

“We’re extremely proud to be Starwood’s first Four Points in South East Asia,” said Giuseppe Ressa, General Manager of Four Points by Sheraton Kuching. “We also look forward to bringing this fun and exciting brand to life here in Kuching. We believe the local community will embrace our fresh, down-to-earth approach to hospitality.”

Developed and owned by Global Upline Sdn. Bhd., the 421-room Four Points by Sheraton Kuching combines modern architectural design with practical use of space.

All rooms feature the Four Points by Sheraton Four Comfort Bed™, 32-inch LCD televisions, large working desk, High Speed Internet Access, WiFi and a great rainforest shower.

The hotel also has three Food and Beverage concepts, ten meeting spaces including a 1,456-square meter ballroom, 24-hour fitness centre, outdoor swimming pool and 24-hour business centre.

“The simple functionality of our design allows us to introduce the Four Points’ honest, uncomplicated hospitality to a market that’s hungry for a new international hospitality brand,” said Bobby Ting, Owner’s Representative and Assistant Managing Director of Global Upline.

In his address to those attending the Grand Opening ceremony, Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Najib congratulated both Global Upline Sdn. Bhd. and Four Points by Sheraton Kuching for providing the impetus to positively drive the tourism industry along during a challenging economic period. He further expressed how encouraged he was that Four Points, with its large number of rooms, modern facilities and international brand will be able to provide visitors with an enhanced experience when visiting the state of Sarawak.

Spearheaded by Four Points’ Executive Chef, Liou Chong Yaw, the building of the cupcake display also raised funds for the annual UNICEF Check Out for Children Challenge. “We wanted to set the record, but our attempt was more than that. Our culinary team also wanted to give back to the community and we have an ideal platform to do that through the Check Out For Children program.” said Chef Liou.  

“We chose to use the cupcake as it is not only one of Four Points’ most recognizable brand icons, it is also a Feel Good Treat that promotes a feel good feeling,” he added.

As an added service to guests, Four Points by Sheraton Kuching will be the first hotel in the city to offer guests complimentary shuttle transfers between the hotel and the airport as well as to and from the city’s commercial center.

Four Points by Sheraton is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (NYSE:HOT), one of the largest hotel and leisure companies in the world.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. today announced that its franchisee, Berjaya Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Sdn Bhd, has opened the first Krispy Kreme doughnut shop in Malaysia. Berjaya Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Sdn Bhd is a 70% owned subsidiary of Berjaya Corporation Berhad (BCorporation).

The new shop is located at the Berjaya Times Square complex in Kuala Lumpur and is the first of 20 Krispy Kreme shops the franchisee plans to open in the market over the next five years. Located in the heart of one of Malaysia’s busiest metropolitan areas, the shop will offer Krispy Kreme’s unique doughnut varieties, as well as coffees and espresso drinks, and iced beverages.

 ”Our expansion into Malaysia is exciting for us as we continue our growth in that part of the world, and we are pleased to be associated with BCorporation, a well respected QSR franchisee,” said Jim Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of Krispy Kreme. “We are confident in BCorporation’s ability to develop the Krispy Kreme brand in the market.”

 ”Krispy Kreme is a very popular brand in Asia, and we are delighted to add the concept to BCorporation’s existing food and beverage operations,” said Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Vincent Tan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BCorporation. “We are pleased to be able to bring the one-of-a-kind Krispy Kreme products to this market.”

Currently, the Krispy Kreme Original Glazed(R) doughnut can be found in 16 countries, including the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The Company also has announced franchise development agreements for the Republic of Turkey and China.