Find A Way Or Make One
Not a social butterfly per se, my mother was nonetheless invited into a neighbourhood group chat in early 2020. Its purpose? To cull fake news surrounding Covid-19 while sounding the alarm about potential red zones in the Klang Valley. Mostly made up of retirees, the group initially shared sporadic messages about supporting this farmer or that food vendor by pooling orders. As expected of Malaysians, it didn’t take long for the slow trickle of food-related posts to gain steam, turning into a steady stream of menus and order forms. If you’ve never seen a truck piled high with crates of live prawns or scooped sprightly shellfish into a bucket normally reserved for your laundry, you haven’t lived lockdown right! She’s come out of her shell, my mother, by seeking fun in the every day, and forming friendships in these tough times.
No one could have anticipated the black swan event that shook 2020 to its core, that sounded the death knell for many a mom and pop store, or caused survivors to operate at half-mast. But even a virus as virulent as Covid-19 can’t suppress creativity or compassion. Fine dining restaurants took up the challenge of serving no frills fare, bars explored bottling or canning, and many donated money and muscle to food donation drives for the less fortunate. 2020 spawned self-discovery at the stove, a lot of live streaming, and highly specific hashtags, including #coronavirusbaking, #isolationloaves and, my favourite, #quarantini; a personal triumph of mine is having built a higher tolerance for the bottle.
Routinely published every December, Tatler Dining’s Best Restaurants Guide has seen a month-long delay, and with it, our highly anticipated awards ceremony. My team and I thank you for your patience and promise that both the publication and party are worth the wait. Our gratitude also goes out to our stable of contributors and the incredible restaurants that helpfully agreed to host our anonymous writers.
If there’s one thing 2020 has taught me, it’s not to long for what’s beyond reach, but to appreciate who or what’s at home.