Author and cultural advocate Khir Johari has made culinary history. His monumental book The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through the Archipelago has been named Best of All at the 31st Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2025, the highest accolade ever given by the organisation in its 30-year history.
Presented in Riyadh by awards founder Edouard Cointreau, this recognition places the Singapore-authored work above every other entry since the awards began. The book had already won Best in the World in 2023, and Best of the Best in Food Culture earlier this year.
“It is deeply meaningful,” Khir reflects, noting his hope that more people are inspired to document the food histories closest to them .
| Title | The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through The Archipelago |
| Author | Khir Johari |
| Pages | 624 pages |
| Features | Over 400 photographs and 32 foundational Malay recipes |
| Research | 11 years |
| Themes | Culinary history, food as medicine, foraging, linguistic roots of Malay taste |
| Audience | Food lovers, historians, cooks and cultural explorers alike |
Beyond the Book: Dialogues by Khir
Khir’s work now extends into Dialogues by Khir, a hybrid research platform combining travel, documentation and community engagement across maritime Southeast Asia. It culminates in Serumpun, an annual day of talks and collaborations with chefs and cultural thinkers, most recently selling out the Ngee Ann Auditorium at the Asian Civilisations Museum .
In short, he is not just writing history. He is making sure it travels.