If there’s one thing that unites all Malaysians, it’s the deep love for our food. We hold our cuisine in high regard, with the traditional dishes as symbols of national pride. So, if you mess with Malaysian food, you’re not just making a culinary mistake—you’re taking on the entire nation.
Recently, celebrity chef Prof. Dato’ Zamzani Abdul Wahab, better known as Chef Zam, took to his personal TikTok account to express his frustration over a disappointing dining experience. He shared that he had Nasi Lemak at a well-known restaurant branch in Subang and found the food to be grossly overpriced and not worth the money at all.
In the video, Chef Zam vented his discontent, captioning it, “Can you not scam customers’ money? The audacity to sell nasi lemak without sambal, and you have to pay extra if you want it!” He revealed that he ordered a plain Nasi Lemak for RM5.90, only to find that it came without the essential sambal. To make matters worse, he had to pay an additional fee just to get the sambal, which should have been included in the dish.
The Terengganu-born chef also mentioned that he purchased a plate of Chicken Rendang alongside the Nasi Lemak. Much to his disappointment, the dish appeared to be sad-looking, with tiny chicken pieces that cost him RM4.90. “I have yet eaten any of the chicken pieces. I just moved it around to see the actual amount of pieces included,” he said, expressing his frustration with the portion size and the overall value for money.
This incident not only angered Chef Zam but also resonated with many Malaysians who agreed that the eatery charged excessively high prices for mediocre food. Some users voiced their shock, pointing out that the restaurant used to include sambal with the Nasi Lemak a few years back, making the recent change even more disappointing. While others slammed the brand for tarnishing Malaysia’s national dish, expressing their frustration over what they see as a lack of respect for the beloved meal.
Whether or not the Nasi Lemak was overpriced, leaving out the sambal is simply unforgivable. Check out the full video here:
@chef.zam Jangan cuba menipu duit customers!, boleh??? Kepal hangguk dia jual nasi lemak tak de sambal & kena tambah duit lain kalau nak sambal!!!🤬🤬🤬🤬 @Bungkus Kaw Kaw @KPDN SELANGOR @KPDN
Alia contributed to this article.
