Violet Oon Singapore, a restaurant specialising in Peranakan cuisine, recently launched a family tray that comes with a variety of dishes.

The restaurant, however, received flak after they decided to name it the "Nyonya Nasi Ambeng Family Tray".

Each "tray" costs S$130 including delivery, and is advertised as serving up to four pax.

However, unhappy customers pointed out that calling it "Nyonya Nasi Ambeng" fails to acknowledge that Nasi Ambeng originates from Java, Indonesia, and is not part of Peranakan culture.

Others pointed out that it was inappropriate to promote the dish when it "has no direct link to Peranakan heritage".

Some suggested that the word "Nyonya" should be removed entirely, and the restaurant was also told "not to give Nyonya a bad name" and to be more original.

Local author questions restaurant

Hidayah Amin, the author of "Malay Weddings Don’t Cost $50 and Other Facts about Malay Culture", also took to Facebook to call out Violet Oon on the dish's cultural disparities.

In her post, she:

• Asks Violet Oon not to "appropriate our Malay dishes."
• Questions when Nasi Ambeng is served during "important occasions" in Peranakan culture.
• Points out that "Ambeng" is not a Peranakan word, but instead, a "Javanese word to describe a Javanese dish."
• Names traditions that are associated with Nasi Ambeng, which she feels Violet Oon's dish did not embody.

Hidayah ended her post addressing the chef directly:

"Chef Violet Oon, it takes more than the 'bunga telang' (blue pea flower) and the word ‘Nyonya’ or ‘Peranakan’ to stake your Peranakan claim. A dish is not recognised merely based on its raw ingredients. Most importantly, a dish portrays the cultural narratives of the people who made it."

You can read her post, which has garnered over 900 shares in less than a day, in its entirety here:

Alternative view

That said, at least one person felt that the matter was being blown out of proportion.

Even ex-Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng chimed in with his views:

Violet Oon apologises

In response to the comments, Violet Oon has updated their post with an apology.

Violet Oon acknowledged that they had "insensitively used the name of a symbolic dish for a Nyonya interpretation" and "failed to acknowledge the significance of Nasi Ambeng."

They also admitted culturally appropriating Nasi Ambeng, and apologised for causing any emotional upset.

The restaurant also added that they have renamed the dish to "Family Trays".

However, they noted in the comments section that they are unable to replace the menu images in the original post with the new name.

See their full post here:⁣

"We recently launched a family tray featuring an assortment of dishes and called it ‘Nyonya Nasi Ambeng Trays.’ We insensitively used the name of a symbolic dish for a Nyonya interpretation that failed to articulate or acknowledge the rich significance and origins of Nasi Ambeng which originated from Java, Indonesia. As a brand dedicated to exploring the rich and diverse food cultures of Southeast Asia, we have fallen short by culturally appropriating this dish. ⁣

⁣

We deeply apologise for causing any hurt, anger or offence through this. We will be renaming the dish 'Family Trays' moving forward. We would also like to thank those who have come forward to explain the nuance and significance of Nasi Ambeng. Moving forward, we will continue to learn from this and be more mindful that our dishes properly reflect and honour their origins. We are committed to being receptive to this conversation and working hard at being better. Thank you.⁣

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Nasi Ambeng originates from Java, Indonesia. This special rice dish is commonly served during special occasions like Ramadan, weddings, kenduri and anniversaries, and is best enjoyed with friends and loved ones. The dish comprises steaming white rice nestled among a selection of delicious side dishes.

Taking inspiration from this age-old Javanese dish, we introduce our Family Trays: a feast of favourites like Chicken Lemak and Eggplant Sambal, along with new dishes like Blue Pea Nasi Lemak and Kentang Sambal Hijau with Ikan Bilis (potatoes fried with a green chilli sambal and anchovies).

Each Family Tray serves up to 4pax and includes free delivery. To order, please ring/WhatsApp 9834 9935, email [email protected], or visit https://violetoon.com/petit-feast"

Reactions to apology

Some have reacted positively to the apology:

But others weren't convinced:

Top photo via Violet Oon Singapore on Facebook