Hot off the rails of David Chang’s latest Momofuku chilli crunch controversy, we decided to rank our own favourite chilli crisps and chilli crunches you can find on the island
There are many names—chilli oil, chilli crisp, or chilli crunch—to describe this quintessential Chinese condiment, which tempts with its fragrant aroma and crunchy bites of chilli and garlic. But only one person gets to call it “chilli crunch”—that is, if celebrity chef David Chang gets his way. This past week, businesses across the United States selling these condiments received a cease-and-desist letter from Momofuku, Chang’s company of restaurants and goods, insisting that their products labelled “chilli crunch” are a trademark infringement of Chang’s own Momofuku Chilli Crunch, and that they have 90 days to remove them. Importantly, Chang does not yet have the trademark rights for “chilli crunch” (but he does for “chile crunch”).
It did not escape industry insiders and onlookers alike that many of the businesses that Momofuku had targeted were small ones, some of whom were using heritage recipes for their products.
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“This felt like a punch in the gut,” Michelle Tew said in an Instagram post; her Southeast Asian pantry, Homiah Foods, was just one of the businesses targeted by Momofuku. Her product, sambal chilli crunch, is “based on a family recipe” from her grandmother, drawing on “countless generations of Nyonya heritage in Penang, Malaysia”. Needless to say, the backlash against Chang (who is Korean, but mainly sells Chinese goods) has been swift and strong, with many calling out Chang for his lack of Asian American solidarity and being a “bully”.
With the spotlight on this iconic condiment, we decided to focus on something more positive instead, which is our favourite chilli crunches you can find in Singapore. Whether you call it chilli crisp, chilli oil, or chilli crunch, this condiment has been around for centuries, and will be here to stay no matter who comes and goes.
