Ranie Saidi on Malaysian cuisine, cooking as grief therapy and the debate over food authenticity
The Good Food podcast
In this episode, host Samuel Goldsmith sits down with food writer Ranie Saidi to explore the deeply personal story behind his debut cookbook, The Malay Cook. What began as a journey through grief after the passing of his grandmother became a celebration of Malay food, family and identity.
Ranie opens up about how his grandmother’s recipe book was stolen after her death and how he set out to recreate her dishes from taste memory, with help from his aunt and years of trial and error across Malaysian restaurants in London. He shares how therapy led him to reconnect with his happiest memories including cooking alongside his grandmother, a beloved wedding caterer in Malaysia.
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