Small Group Workshop: Malaysian Street Food with Linda Tay Esposito

NOTE: iphone and ipad users, CLICK HERE to register for class.

What’s on the Menu:

• Char Kuey Teow (Stir Fried Rice Noodles with Shrimp, Chinese Sausage, Bean Sprouts and Chives)
• Char Koay Kak (Stir Fried Rice Cakes with Radish, Egg, Bean Sprouts and Chives)
• Homemade Steamed Rice Cakes
• Sambal

Description:Sizzling rice noodles. Sweet-savory dark soy sauce. Punchy, spicy sambal with fragrant fish paste: these are the flavors and smells of the Malaysian state of Penang. Guest teacher Linda Tay Esposito is taking a group of lucky travelers there in 2026—but you don’t have to fly to Malaysia just yet to get a taste of the foods Linda loves most. First, if you like fried rice, you will love Char Koay Kak. We making our own homemade rice cakes for this dish—and we don’t mean the dried-out, flavorless rice cakes you find in the diet section of the grocery store. Linda’s fresh rice cakes are steamed and have a uniquely—there’s no other way to describe it—bouncy texture. When fried together with aromatics and radish, plus a deeply savory sauce, they become a vehicle for flavor unlike any other. For even speedier weeknight eating, you’ll enjoy Char Kuey Teow, which uses rice noodles—this time, store bought is fine—plus shrimp, sausage and oysters, all of which benefit from a touch of wok hei, that “breath of the wok” flavor that comes from using high heat to achieve a delicate smokey char. Both recipes give Linda the opportunity to double down on the importance of good knife skills, organized mise en place and the essentials of good stir-frying technique, whether you’re using a wok or not. Finally, we’ll make a quick batch of Linda’s favorite sambal to scoop over one or both of your new favorite stir-fries. Join us to take yourself on a quick trip to Penang.

About Linda Tay Esposito: Linda Tay Esposito is a teaching chef whose food represents a tribute and a commitment to the authenticity of the cuisines of the Pacific Rim. Since 2004, Linda has shared her passion and knowledge of Southeast Asian cuisines by using approachable techniques that students can recreate at home. Linda teaches at 18 Reasons, The Civic Kitchen and Milk Street. Previously, she taught at the San Francisco Cooking School, Cavallo Point, and several other cooking schools in the Bay Area.

Outside of teaching, Linda is a food business consultant with a focus on placemaking and building equitable food systems through the intersectional lens of food, sustainability and equity. She led the food program at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, and worked with IKEA on conceptualizing their plant-forward foodhall. Currently, she is working on resurrecting one of the last remaining Chinese banquet halls in SF Chinatown. Previously, she led the development of La Cocina Municipal Marketplace, an innovative model of conscious, community-led development, offering economic opportunity for low income, women entrepreneurs, while creating jobs and delicious, affordable food for the community.

Her past experience includes growing Hodo Foods from an artisanal producer to nationwide distribution, as well as a long career in product development and marketing in consumer technology, banking and CPG.Linda is a member of the Good Food Foundation Advisory Board, and sits on their equity task force. In her free time, she plants hard-to-find Asian herbs at the community garden at Fort Mason. In 2026, she will lead Milk Street’s inaugural culinary tour in Penang, Malaysia.

Thank you to the 2025 Annual Sponsors of the Cooking School, who make our livestream events possible:

• Coccinella, whose Oleavia Extra-Virgin Olive Oils are made with olives that are harvested early, hand-picked and cold-pressed to ensure impeccable flavor. Use code MILK STREET to get 20% off your first order: https://www.coccinellastore.com/oleavia-evoo
• Copper, which makes battery-equipped induction ranges that power premium cooking experiences and store renewable energy — without the need for complex, expensive electrical upgrades. Learn more: t.ly/cU1pO
• Vermicular. With 80+ years of Japanese craftsmanship and heating innovation, they craft thoughtfully designed cast iron cookware that inspires chefs of all levels. Use code COOKLIGHT for 10% off their products at the Milk Street Store: t.ly/mu01T
• Work Sharp, which makes sharpening products that are fast, easy to use and work every time. Find their products on the Milk Street Store and use code SHARPSMART for 10% off: t.ly/SSsSz
• Wulf’s Fish and Savenor’s Market. Together, Wulf’s and Savenor’s provide premium seafood and gourmet meat to chefs and home cooks across the country. Use code MILKSTREET for 20% off orders from Wulf’s (t.ly/REVSO) and Savenor’s (t.ly/CRwjA).

Our small-group Workshops are capped at just 25 attendees and are distinct from our livestream Classes. As such, they are NOT included with Insider membership.

Want to give this class as a gift? You can purchase gift cards here.

Immediately after registering, you will get a confirmation email that contains the Zoom meeting log-in information. One week prior to the class (or within 48 hours, if you register less than one week in advance), you will receive instructions on how to prepare ingredients and equipment in order to cook along with us.

After class, you will receive a recording of the event, as well as a packet with recipes and resources that we discuss during the event. If you have any questions about this class, please don't hesitate to get in touch via cookingschool@177milkstreet.com.

This event has limited spots, and you must register in advance via Eventbrite. One sign-up covers one device. Closed Captioning is available for this event.

Payments for Milk Street livestream workshops are non-refundable. If you find yourself unable to attend, you may transfer the ticket to someone else, but we are unable to refund fees and all payments are final.

Proceeds from live stream cooking classes and workshops support Milk Street's non-profit work with The Big Sisters Association of Great Boston, The Boys & Girls Club of Dorchester, and other partners.

Bonus: All attendees of this class will receive a one-time 20% off coupon to the Milk Street Store after class.