An eager fan queued three hours for Malaysian comedian Uncle Roger’s egg fried rice ahead of his restaurant’s grand opening in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Uncle Roger, whose real name is Nigel Ng, is a comedian known for his roasts of people’s attempts at cooking Asian food. He opened his first restaurant “Fuiyoh! It’s Uncle Roger” at Pavilion KL on 11 September 2024. One university student told Malay Mail that he waited three hours before opening time just to try the fried rice.
Background
Nigel Ng, better known as Uncle Roger, gained fame in 2020 after a video of him critiquing a BBC segment on cooking egg fried rice went viral. Known for his witty and often harsh critiques, especially of fried rice, Ng has amassed a significant following, including 9.34 million subscribers on YouTube. The announcement of his first restaurant was made on 1 August through his Instagram account, generating excitement among his fans.
Queued 3 hours
The 22-year-old student, who only wanted to be known as Sugi, said he reached the mall at 9:50 am to queue, which was “way before” the mall’s opening time and three hours before the restaurant’s grand opening at 1 pm. His efforts were rewarded with him being first in line. “I have a class at 2 pm which is why I wanted to be the first (in the queue),” he explained. Sugi also hoped to get a photo with Uncle Roger. His friends, however, did not join him, daunted by the potential crowd and waiting time.
Fuiyoh! It’s Uncle Roger
In a YouTube video on 1 July, Ng had teased that he would be opening his first restaurant, describing it as a “little secret just for loyal niece and nephew watching”. The 33-year-old comedian has achieved significant success by critiquing and “reviewing” videos of chefs and other individuals cooking while in character, which is most commonly associated with egg fried rice.
How’s his fried rice?
After roasting others for their cooking of egg fried rice, expectations are undoubtedly high for Uncle Roger’s very own egg fried rice. So what’s the verdict? The fried rice is “tasty” and “not bad”, according to a food review by TikTok user @palingsteady, reported by The Sun. “There is strong umami and MSG flavour but not enough wok hei. Maybe because it’s the first day, the chef is nervous,” the TikTok user said. He also made a jab at the price, saying he needed to get a promotion at his job first before eating at the restaurant again. “But I see Uncle Roger as a very hardworking person. He was even stressed. Yet he was still humble and not arrogant to the crowd,” he added.
Future implications
The opening of “Fuiyoh! It’s Uncle Roger” marks a significant milestone for Nigel Ng, transitioning from online critiques to real-world culinary ventures. Given his massive online following and the initial buzz, the restaurant is likely to attract both fans and food enthusiasts. Future developments may include additional locations or new menu items, depending on the success of this first venture. Fans and food critics alike will be watching closely to see how Uncle Roger’s culinary journey unfolds.
