
These are good times for Malaysian residents who enjoy Spanish gastronomy, thanks to a new certification scheme launched by the Spanish government to recognize and support those restaurants offering authentic dishes outside Spain. This initiative, which started in 2020 with only four countries, has now certified over 130 restaurants around the world, including places in the USA, Singapore, the UK, China, Vietnam, Russia, Germany, Japan, and many others.
Published on EATDRINK MALAYSIA
(...) Kuala Lumpur, with its vibrant food scene, is unsurprisingly home to the first two restaurants in Malaysia to receive this international recognition. Marta’s Kitchen and Mercat Barcelona Gastrobar were awarded with the “Restaurants from Spain” certification during a recent event organized by the Economic and Commercial Office of Spain in Kuala Lumpur, with the unveiling of plaques at the entrance of each restaurant.
“The Spanish cuisine is internationally recognized for its blending of tradition and innovation. It is nourished by an old and long gastronomy tradition with Phoenician, Roman, and Moorish influences, adding a wealth of products from America, from the ‘New World’ in the 15th century, and it has kept evolving towards modern Spanish gastronomy,” explained Ines Perez-Durantez, the Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of Spain. According to the Spanish diplomat, sharing food helps us to become closer to other cultures, to keep building ties between countries. “This applies especially to Malaysia,” she said, “a country so fond of food discovery and proud of its culinary culture.” (...)