One such initiative will see selected bakers throughout the Klang Valley participating in a two-week-long fundraising event to feed the hungry.
“Kek Untuk Kita” – the brainchild of pastry chefs Laura Ng and Zoee Wong – will run from Wednesday until Sept 15.
Zoee is a volunteer with the Food Aid Foundation, a charity organisation that focuses on “rescuing surplus food from grocery stores, restaurants and hotels” to be divided and distributed to underprivileged communities throughout the Klang Valley.
During the “Kek Untuk Kita” campaign, participating bakers will donate a portion of their profits to the Food Relief Project, which is the foundation’s latest initiative to help struggling businesses and the hungry.
Through the project, more than 1,200 meals have so far been distributed to those in need.
Zoee says the idea for “Kek Untuk Kita” started off as a simple bake sale.
“We wanted to do our part in contributing to those in need, but it evolved into a bigger fundraising festival,” she tells FMT.
“Chefs in our networks were excited by the idea and were keen to join, so we started reaching out to individual bakers and pastry chefs more intentionally.”
Among those participating in the festival are Everything Choux, Karen Leong Cake Design, Whip Up, Sherissa’s Patisserie, Kokobutter.kl, Bitter Sweet, Nessa’s Delights, That Last Bite, Bray Bakery, and the organisers themselves, Zoee and Laura.
As many of these bakeries have an established internet presence – and to keep in line with movement restrictions – the festival will largely be a virtual affair, with goods sold through online stores.
Local celebrities such as Ili Sulaiman and Vanessa Tevi have been roped in to spread awareness of the event.
On the various social initiatives during this time of crisis, she says it has been very heartening to know many Malaysians are mobilising to help communities in need.
“Chefs and cooks are among the most generous people out there,” Zoee says. “They tap into what they know, which is to serve good food to the people.”
To buy cakes, breads and other goodies and at the same time help the needy, check out ‘Kek Untuk Kita’ on Instagram.