“Uncle Roger is who I will become in 15 years when I am middle-aged, and then we won’t need this Nigel person anymore,” laughs Nigel Ng when I ask him what inspired the creation of the internet sensation with 4.5 million Instagram followers and an ongoing friendly feud with Gordon Ramsay. As much as I know Uncle Roger is a fictional persona, it still takes me by surprise to meet Ng without his exaggerated Chinese accent, who wears a grey wool shirt and carries himself with a relaxed demeanour.
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“He’s the typical uncle and aunty you grew up around who has an opinion on everything, especially when it comes to food,” he continues, depicting the character. “They talk over everyone, are opinionated, annoying, and think they know everything—but are ultimately lovable and kind on the inside.”
Uncle Roger wears his signature orange T-shirt
Ng grew up in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, and was more than exposed to the aunties and uncles that inspired Uncle Roger during his childhood. “I went to Northwestern University, where I joined a stand-up comedy student organisation,” he says, recalling his foray into comedy during his university years in the US. However, it was only during the pandemic that the orange-shirt wearing character was born.
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“I was stuck at home at the time and the idea was bubbling in my head,” he smiles. Serendipitously, someone sent him the BBC Food video featuring Hersha Patel using a colander to drain and rinse cooked rice that formed the base of his first ever Uncle Roger skit: “I found it hilariously wrong, and that very first video I made took off.”
Perhaps, the massive response to Uncle Roger can be attributed to many from the Asian community relating to the dish. “We all ate rice growing up—if the first video was about someone messing up caviar, I don’t think it would have done as well,” Ng says. “Asians all love food and it is something that binds us all together as it is so close to our hearts.”
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While Ng laughs at the idea of being called a chef (he only learned to cook out of desperation during university), his food-centric videos are a result of research, especially as the response to the character grew.
Nigel Ng
He recalls the culture shock when he first moved to the US. “American suburban food is basically fast food—think Burger King, Sonic, Subway, and TGI Fridays,” he laughs. “Compared to the hawkers and mamak we have here, it is much less plentiful and fun.” While at the start, Uncle Roger was created for purely comedic purposes, he explains that the goal has shifted to bring Asian food to the world stage and bring the awareness of the culture global.
While some may argue the over-exaggerated portrayal of stereotypes, such as the Chinese accent, may work to discriminate against Asian culture, Ng disagrees: “Ultimately, this is me, an Asian person, celebrating our culture.”
Ng opened his first restaurant, Fuiyoh! It’s Uncle Roger, in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur on September 11, 2024. “Living in LA, I wanted to be able to connect to Malaysians more as it is the country where I grew up,” he says. “Videos are nice, but having a physical outlet allows me to come back more often for a purpose too.”
Naturally, fried rice is the speciality, with different toppings from chicken and kale to unagi. “We’re really proud of it and in the last few months during its R&D, I’ve eaten more fried rice than I have in my entire life,” he chuckles. “Here in Malaysia, we have the best food in the world, and although I may get roasted, if my restaurant can make it in Malaysia, it can make it anywhere in the world.”
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