Jacky Liew

Malaysian food columnist and gastronomy critic

Biography

Jacky Liew is a Malaysian food columnist and gastronomy critic, widely regarded as the first person in Malaysia to be known as a gourmet. His work combines restaurant criticism with writing and research on Nyonya cuisine, the culinary tradition of Chinese-descended communities settled around the Straits of Malacca.

Born in Malaysia, he has ancestral roots in Guangdong Province, China. Before devoting himself mainly to writing and criticism, he worked as a lecturer at a faculty of agriculture and as a business consultant. He also writes under the pseudonym Shi Gongzi and serves as a judge at international culinary competitions. In 2008 he received the Excellence in Social Service Medal from the Sultan Tuanku Ja'afar Law in Malaysia, and the World Gourmet Master distinction from the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an international gourmet association. His career links journalism, teaching and institutional recognition, and his name is associated with the study of Malaysian food culture.

Key contributions

Food columns and criticism, which have made him the first widely known gourmet in Malaysia.
Research on Nyonya cuisine, documenting a mixed culinary tradition that receives less attention in general guides.
Judging at international culinary competitions, where he assesses dishes and techniques from outside professional kitchens.

Trivia

A pen name of his own. Besides his Chinese name, Liao Shengran, he writes some of his work under the pseudonym Shi Gongzi.

An international title. In 2008 he received the World Gourmet Master distinction from the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, the organisation that honours gourmets from different countries.