VESSELS OF HERITAGE

Award-winning author and food historian Khir Johari opens his home to The Peak Singapore and shares the stories behind his formidable collection of Nusantara gastronomy ware.

- KENNETH SZ GOH

Growing up in the historic Gedung Kuning in the heart of Kampong Glam, food historian and author Khir Johari was accustomed to lavish entertaining at home. His great-grandfather was the prominent merchant Haji Yusoff, who frequently hosted businessmen from Southeast Asia and India, as well as key figures in the local Malay community.

His childhood home, also known as the Yellow Mansion and a former annexe of the Sultan of Singapore's royal palace, also saw a constant stream of visits from newlywed relatives, who came to pay their respects to the elders in a four-generation household.

A stalwart presence in those convivial gatherings was a long English oak table in the dining room, lined with “proper plates and serveware”. When Gedung Kuning was acquired by the Government in 1999, Khir recalls the astonishing discovery of stacks of food platters, or chargers, from the Meiji era and from Maastricht, Netherlands, some of which he eventually inherited.

This love for serveware laid the foundation for his staggering Nusantara gastronomy ware collection, which comprises over 1,000 antique pieces, ranging from plates and platters to water vessels, utensils, and accessories. Some of them are also featured in his landmark book, The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through The Archipelago, an encyclopaedic exploration of culinary history and culture of Singapore’s Malay community.

Published in 2021, the 600-page tome has won awards, including Best of the Best in Food Culture at the 2025 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Speaking to The Peak Singapore over kueh ambon and tea, he says with a chuckle: "I see myself like a 'vacuum cleaner'; if I see something that is related (to the Nusantara era), I will get it. The more dots I have, the better picture I'd have."