Sendok Rakyat founders use food heritage to build community and fight inequality

Married couple Anugerah Murni Sabta and Aqid Aiman Azmi run Sendok Rakyat, a platform that uses food programmes such as nasi ulam workshops and market tours to explore heritage, identity and belonging in Singapore. Their work makes food heritage accessible regardless of participants' time, money or

Married couple Anugerah Murni Sabta, 28, and Aqid Aiman Azmi, 33, run Sendok Rakyat – a platform that uses food programmes to help people understand their heritage and communities better. Through workshops, walking tours, cooking classes and picnic gatherings, the couple encourage participants to experience food heritage through shared stories and everyday cooking rather than rigid, perfect replicas of traditional dishes.

Sendok Rakyat, which translates to “the people's ladle”, operates at community spaces including Wisma Geylang Serai, Chong Pang Market and Proud Spaces. It collaborates with organisations such as Singapore HeritageFest, the National Heritage Board and ArtsWok. While its focus is on Malay food, the programmes also explore how different food traditions in Singapore have intertwined over time, covering dishes such as laksa, mee soto, mee goreng and rojak.

“Food is a way into conversations about identity, belonging and what that means in Singapore today,” Aqid said. “It's so important, emotional and meaningful – and we want to share that value with others, too.”

The couple started Sendok Rakyat as a simple Instagram food diary in 2023 after bonding over their love of local food when they began dating in 2022. The platform grew as they realised others were equally curious about Singaporean food and wanted to take the conversation beyond social media. “Gathering over food is one of the most powerful types of gatherings because food is always the starting point for deeper and more introspective conversations,” Aqid said.

Anugerah's own upbringing shapes the couple's approach. As a teenager she lived in a transitional shelter where much of her household's food came from donated supplies and canned ingredients. “For many years, I felt embarrassed about that part of my life,” she said. Yet some of her most cherished food memories came from occasions when her mother and grandmother had enough money, time or ingredients to prepare elaborate dishes such as kuah celok (Boyanese fish soup) or lauk lemak (creamy coconut gravy). “In those moments, I remember feeling very loved,” she said.

That experience made Anugerah determined to reclaim her story and ensure that others who feel disconnected from polished versions of traditional food can see themselves as part of food heritage. “I can imagine a kid out there who feels the same way, who's going through the same things or struggles, who loves cooking local food but doesn't have the resources to do so,” she said. Aqid added: “It's why I believe understanding and knowing about our heritage can be a tool to fight inequality.”

The couple keep their programmes free or charge minimal fees for those who may not have the means to attend. They collaborate with organisations such as Sayur Story, a food programme by and for domestic migrant workers in Singapore. Their workshops focus less on teaching a “correct” way of making a dish and more on giving participants the context and confidence to engage with it themselves. For example, in their nasi ulam workshop, each table's product can be entirely different because participants' experiences and stories are distinct. “We often tell audiences that if someone makes nasi ulam for you, they must really, really love you,” Aqid said.