OUR MUHIBAH STORY | If you were to ask Ili Sulaiman about her ethnicity, she would proudly tell you that she is Malaysian.
The 38-year-old celebrity chef is proud of her diverse family background. Her mother is half-English and half-Chinese, while her father is of Sri Lankan and Malay descent. Moreover, her husband is an Indian.
Recently, Ili shared a video of her in-laws visiting them during Ramadan, during which she cooked hearty Malay dishes for them. The video garnered over 3,000 likes, with some describing it as a “true Malaysian spirit”.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, Ili recalled her childhood in Ampang, Selangor with fondness.
She said she didn’t fit into any boxes and was friends with everyone. One of her fondest memories was celebrating her school best friend’s entrance into womanhood.
“Her mother bought sarees for us and we sat down with the family, learning about their culture while eating delicious Indian food. It was amazing,” she said.
Ili met her husband through one of her multiracial friends. Her husband was born in Johor and grew up there before moving to Kuala Lumpur.
Her mother-in-law is also from Johor, while her father-in-law is from Kelantan.
She was surprised to learn that her new family speaks Tamil and is fluent in Malay, English, and Mandarin.
“There will be one person speaking in Malay and the other replies in Mandarin,” she said.
Wedding with vibrant colours
A few years ago, their wedding became more than a union of love. It showcased a diverse Malaysian culture as well.
The family and guests wore Bollywood-themed attire for the nikah ceremony to honour her Sri Lankan heritage and new Indian family.
“I wanted a colourful wedding to reflect my diverse family. Hence, we chose Indian attire,” she added.
They exchanged garlands afterwards to celebrate her Indian family and held a Chinese tea ceremony.
As the diverse family grew, Ili said everyone remained respectful of each other’s cultures and religions.
When they gather for a celebration, such as Hari Raya Aidiliftiri, Deepavali, Chinese New Year, or Christmas, they accommodate everyone’s preferences when it comes to food.
“When my in-laws come, we don’t serve them beef because they are Hindus. When we visit our Chinese grandmother, she won’t serve them pork,” she added.
Some relatives even opt for a halal caterer for food and cutlery when they come over.
Food and language
Ili’s background is also the reason why she became a chef. She saw the magic in cooking and sharing recipes with others helped her communicate.
Now, she cooks and delivers Peranakan, Malay, Indian, and European food in a business she started 11 years ago.
Her career continued to grow after she won Asian Food Network’s Food Asia Hero in 2015, which led to the channel’s hiring of her cooking shows.
Although Ili can only speak Malay and English, her two-year-old son can speak three languages.
“He speaks Tamil with her Indian grandmother and uses Malay and English to talk to us.
“I am also planning to send him to learn Mandarin because I believe he can pick up the fourth language,” she added. - Mkini
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