KUALA LUMPUR – With the lockdown imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic preventing Mathan Vengadasalam from returning to his culinary job in Singapore, he found he had more time on his hands at home in Taman Pelangi, Johor.
But the travel restrictions did not stop him from engaging in his talent via social media, becoming a hit among netizens eager to witness his gastronomic skills on video-sharing platform TikTok.
Right now, Mathan, who goes by the TikTok handle @mathanedward, has racked up more than 14.2 million views at press time on his #rowdychef cooking channel.
In an interview with The Vibes, Mathan said he started cooking at the tender age of 10, helping his mother in the kitchen.
“My favourite dish by my mum is her mutton curry,” he said.
Fast forward to April this year, when Mathan uploaded a video of himself cooking mackerel curry – along with the recipe, so that his followers could have a go at it themselves – which has since garnered upwards of 100,000 views.
@mathanedward Kari ikan tenggiri ? #mathanedward #chef #fishcurry #fyp
♬ original sound - Mathanedward?
Two days later, he showed TikTokers how to cook the famous Chinese dish commonly known as gong pao chicken.
@mathanedward chicken chili Kering???? #mathanedward #drychillichicken #chef #fyp
♬ original sound - Mathanedward?
A hit with viewers, that video garnered more than 888,000 views.
The comments section of his videos, which he presents in Bahasa Malaysia, also shows Mathan breaking racial barriers, with Chinese and Malay fans complimenting him and requesting other recipes.
“I use Malay in my videos because it always helps everyone understand my recipes,” he said.
“I noticed people were shocked that I could cook all kinds of cuisines. But, I work as a chef and I have to cook foods from all regions,” he said.
However, not all the feedback have been plaudits and praise, with Mathan saying he received backlash from some concerned Indians when he uploaded his rasam recipe.
@mathanedward Claypot herbal rasam ?#chef #fyp #mathanedward #chefgangster #rowdychef? #rasam
♬ original sound - Mathanedward?
Rasam is an aromatic, somewhat sour and herbal South Indian soup teeming with spices.
“When I cooked rasam and uploaded (the video), a lot of people scolded me.
“They asked why was I teaching other races how to cook our food. They didn’t do this when I cooked other dishes,” he said.
Some of the comments on the rasam video shows users expressing concern that irresponsible people would “steal” the recipe and claim it as belonging to their culture in the future.
The concern may be understandable, especially in light of an incident earlier this month, when a local content creator was reportedly criticised for showcasing “Malay-styled” rasam.
She later apologised for calling Indians “penumpang” (guests) in Malaysia, after being accused of claiming that rasam is Malay.
While Mathan does plan to return to Singapore once the borders reopen, he now has other things planned for after the lockdown.
“Right now, other cooking shows on YouTube have contacted me for a collaboration after the lockdown,” he said, adding that TikTok does not pay him for the content he uploads.
He said he now also dabbles in event planning and catering for extra income. – The Vibes, June 26, 2021
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