INTRODUCTION
Since its inception in 2012, WHATMATTERS Sdn Bhd was born out of passion to revive and preserve Sarawak’s unique diversity of Culture, Food, Heritage and Tradition.
GOALS
To perpetuate PASSION for our culture and heritage. COMPASSION to help all in need.
PASSION
Accomplished through print, digital and other means of social media as its platform, not forgetting pop-up live heritage food demonstrations (since 2012), workshops with international chefs from France, England, Brunei, Hong Kong and China (2014-2017), Sarawak Adventure in Hong Kong an international arts, craft and exhibition representing Sarawak in Asia Society Hong Kong (SCA) (2018), stage act in Edinburgh Fringe Festival (EFF) Scotland (2019) both SCA and EFF were supported by the Ministry of Tourism Sarawak, dinner gala and cake culinary workshops at RWMF fringe (2019), TV shows (TVS-2022 and TVN – CJ 2019) and The Hearth Brought to Light; Food over Fire (FOFTM) festival, heirloom showcases (2022) supported by ARTSFAS Yayasan Hasanah and heirloom gala dinners (2022). COMPASSION for all in need is through LIFESPANTREE which supports food security.
Under WHATMATTERS Sdn Bhd
KINO (Kuching In ‘N Out) is a free bi-monthly magazine which began its journey in 2013 until 2020 when the pandemic forced its hiatus. KINO is at the stages of restarting its print magazine.
MISSION
- A Connector between our diverse traditions
- A Voice for our local individual
- A Reviver of our forgotten, less known and lost cultures
VISION
- To document Sarawak’s culture, food, heritage and tradition
- To archive on print and web, articles on our culture
- To inspire our youth to the importance of our heritage
LIFESPANTRY started its humanity project during the pandemic which involved buying produce from the small rural farmers, producing long shelf life of nutritional food and distributing it to the urban B40. After acquiring a special grant from Yayasan Hasanah (HSG2020-22) it became a full time endeavour. This project is still ongoing.
In 2020, 285 urban B40 families received monthly food care boxes valued at RM200. Today, 470 families are monthly recipients from this humanity project entitled “Combat Malnutrition for our Urban B40”.
MISSION
- To protect lost and forgotten ingredients and traditions.
- To promote our culinary uniqueness of the past and present and to go beyond global culinary trends. – To preserve traditional food and recipes.
- To provide for the all in need and support food security.
VISION
- To perpetuate the culinary values of short lifespan jungle produce.
- To produce traditional food for local and international markets through methods such as:
- Canning: Traditional heirloom dishes preserved in a can.
- Freeze drying: short season and life span jungle produce such as the durian flowers and pakuk.
- Dehydration: over harvest fruits from local farmers to prevent wastage and lost of value of crops.