Grab CEO Anthony Tan puts Trevor Noah's taste buds to the test

Trevor Noah is getting a taste of Malaysia, with Grab co-founder and CEO Anthony Tan taking the comedian and television host on a four-stop food trail across the country.

In an Instagram reel shared by Grab, the pair visit local eateries to take on food challenges featuring Malaysian favourites such as nasi lemak ('coconut milk rice'), Hokkien mee ('noodles'), ais kacang ('shaved ice dessert') and durian. The video also puts Grab's 5-Star Eats offering in the spotlight, showcasing highly rated eateries on the platform.

The video opens with Noah sipping on a Milo dinosaur, accompanied by the on-screen question, "Can Trevor Noah survive the Grab 5-Star Eats trail?", before introducing the comedian to Tan and the Grab team.

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The first stop takes the group to Village Park Restaurant for a "sambal ('chili') test", where Noah samples the establishment's well-known nasi lemak and gives its spice level his approval.

The group then heads to Damansara Uptown Hokkien Mee for the second challenge, dubbed "pure wok hei ('smoky flavour')". Noah is seen enjoying the local dish alongside Tan, with an on-screen caption declaring, "Hot wok hei: Trevor approved".

For the third round, titled "the cool down", Noah visits Kwong Wah Ais Kacang to sample the Malaysian shaved ice dessert. The trail concludes at DurianMan, where the comedian takes on the "final boss" by trying Musang King durian, describing its taste as an instant flavour. The reel ends with Noah taking photographs with the group, bringing the four-stop food trail to a close.

Village Park Restaurant also shared photographs from the visit on its Instagram page, expressing its delight at hosting both Noah and Tan.

"Pictured: Grab CEO Anthony Tan and comedian Trevor Noah in the same place at the same time!" the restaurant wrote, adding that it hoped both would return for another visit.

Through the reel, Grab positions its 5-Star Eats offering as a way for users to discover highly rated local food options on the platform. The collaboration also places Malaysian food culture at the centre of the content, using Noah's reactions and interactions with Tan to introduce audiences to local favourites.

A+M has reached out for more information. 

The food trail follows Grab's earlier efforts to promote its 5-Star Eats offering in Singapore, where it launched an integrated campaign spotlighting Singaporeans' discerning food preferences.

Developed in collaboration with BLKJ HAVAS and Grab's marketing and in-house creative team, the campaign positioned everyday diners as demanding food critics. Built around the idea, "If millions of the toughest food critics say it’s 5-stars, it must be good", it drew on real customer reviews to reinforce the credibility of Grab's 5-Star Eats collection.

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