Anna Archibald & Kevin Serai of Cabagges Look Back at Their Maiden Visit to Penang & Singapore
Cabagges going global
We catch up with two of the Internat’s favourite home recipe developers, Anna Archibald and Kevin Serai AKA the duo behind Cabagges, about their recent trip down to sunny Southeast Asia.
Living in the Internet age has had a massive (and that’s an understatement) impact on how we live at home. From the next wave of decor obsessions to all the upgrades you could add to your kitchen, the conversations about living bigger, larger, and better are never-ending. But amidst all the talk about romanticising your life and “doing the most” for your home, there is a warm corner of the Internet that allows you to embrace and build on the comfort that already exists in your home—and Cabagges is a big part of that corner. Run by Anna Archibald and Kevin Serai, Cabagges has cultivated its own little (if 1.7 million followers across platforms counts as little) pocket that centers around simple, homey recipes that are perfected with a considerate serving of creativity.
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Their videos, filmed in their Brooklyn kitchen, are immediately recognisable to dwellers in the online food space, with warm lighting and a space that looks actually lived in. Perhaps what makes their recipes particularly lovable is the element of achievability that followers like myself appreciate. Nothing too fancy, nothing that requires massive prep times, and nothing my stomach can’t handle. Balancing simplicity, comfort, and romanticisation, a Cabagges recipe is the perfect way to add some delicious excitement to the everyday, pulling from the recipes that they grew up with in Hawai’i. The flavours, techniques, and techniques all feel familiar, even when they’re not. And speaking of familiarity, Anna and Kevin recently made their first trip over to Southeast Asia, making stops in Singapore and Penang, two places they have never been to before.
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Their days here were spent eating through local markets and restaurants, getting a taste of the dishes they’ve heard about and the recipes they’ve attempted in their own kitchen right at the source. Plus, with Malaysian and Singaporean followers jumping at the chance to send recommendations in the comment section, they never ran out of places to check out and plates to chow down. As their audience drooled over the content on Instagram and TikTok, we managed to catch the duo fresh out of the Malaysian and Singaporean legs of their two-week Asia trip for a conversation about their travels. We asked them about their favourite dishes, the pinch-me moments, and how they navigated the streets in new cities. Find our Q&A below!
STOPPING BY SINGAPORE
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What brought you over to Singapore?
Singapore has been one of our top destinations to visit for years. Recently, our travel has felt kind of sporadic so we finally told ourselves that we needed to make it a priority to visit in 2026 and we started planning the trip in early 2025. We immediately reached out to our friends at Tanchen Studio to work on a collaboration together, which was definitely the highlight of our trip.
What mindset did you go into this trip with? Did you have any expectations?
We didn’t really know what to expect, to be honest. We became so focused on the event in Singapore that we didn’t have much time to plan, but we knew we wanted to eat as much as possible!
In general, we like to leave time for ourselves to explore a new place more spontaneously rather than arrive with a set itinerary. We usually go into a trip with a few restaurants and activities we know we want to hit, then wander around and see what interests us! We were hoping to hit as many hawker centers as we had time for, and I think we succeeded.
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Were there any interactions or moments that have specifically stuck with you? In other words, did you have any pinch me moments?
There were definitely a lot of pinch me moments. To be so far away from home (we took the longest direct flight in the world from NYC to Singapore!) and to meet so many amazing people who showed up to our event, it felt surreal.
So many people brought us gifts too—their favorite food or snacks from Singapore, handwritten letters, flowers, drawings—it really inspired us to come back home to work even harder on the recipes we create knowing that people so far from home appreciate them. And it meant a lot to us to see how kind and welcoming the people from this online community really are!
What were your first impressions of the city and its food?
It’s kind of a perfect city for us. Beautiful, modern buildings and clean streets dotted with world-class hawker centers with delicious yet affordable food. Super efficient and clean public transportation and a very cool mix of young retail shops and cafés. It was definitely a very strong first impression on us and we hope to be back one day to explore more.
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What were your days in Singapore like? Take us through some of your itinerary!
On our first full day we were able to visit a good amount of the places that were recommended to us. We started with kaya toast at Ya Kun for breakfast, then headed to Joo Chiat Road where we explored for a bit and then sat down for a quick roti snack at Mr. and Mrs. Mohgan. For lunch we tried the famous chicken rice at Tian Tian in Maxwell Hawker Center, then explored Chinatown for a bit. In the evening we walked through Gardens by the Bay and finished with a satay dinner at Lau Pa Sat!
The rest of our days were a mixed bag of eating and sightseeing, and obviously a couple days were dedicated to the event. We were able to try Peranakan food at Candlenut, walked amongst the treetops along MacRitchie Nature Trail, did some shopping at New Bahru, and had an amazing dinner at Belimbing on our last night.
If you could get one Singaporean dish for takeout (otherwise known as “tapau” in local speak) to bring back to New York, which would it be?
That’s a tough one! But it would probably have to be Hainanese chicken rice. There are versions back here in New York but they really don’t compare to what you find in Singapore. It’s just a simple, perfect dish you can eat any time of day!
PASSING BY PENANG
What drew you to Penang? Additionally, what was the deciding factor in choosing Penang over Kuala Lumpur?
To be honest, when we first started thinking about this trip, we were only planning to visit Singapore and then Hong Kong. But once we announced that we were visiting Singapore, SO many people told us we needed to make a stop in Malaysia.
We only had a few days to spare for a third destination, so after a little bit of research, Penang felt like the perfect place to visit. Small, easy to get around, and packed with world-class food. I knew if we visited KL we’d get distracted with shopping and sightseeing, whereas in Penang we could really focus on just eating!
How did you decide where to go and what to eat?
We received a tonne of recommendations in our DMs about where to eat, and it quickly became clear to us that you can’t really go wrong with eating in Penang. Everything is good! So we took note of those and also referenced @hungrypenanglang on Instagram, who has a tonne of great recommendations.
What’s a Malaysian dish you could see yourself trying to recreate in your home kitchen?
We’ve already tried making char kuey teow, which seemed like the most doable for us since a lot of the ingredients were easy to find near us, but it paled in comparison to the versions we tried in Penang. Our home kitchen just can’t produce enough heat to achieve that signature wok hei flavour! I can definitely see us trying to make bak kut teh at home, because it feels aligned with a lot of other comforting, simmered dishes we love to make.
Cendol seemed to be one of your top dishes of the trip! What are your thoughts on it?
We’re still dreaming about the cendol we had. And ais kacang! We both grew up in Hawai’i where Shave Ice is a popular dessert, and cendol really reminded us of our childhoods, except cendol has a much deeper and more complex mixture of flavors from the pandan, red beans, and coconut milk. I wish it was easier to find here in NYC. The heat in Malaysia also took a bit of adjusting to, coming from the end of winter in NYC, so cold desserts really hit the spot.
Assuming this isn’t your first time having Malaysian food, what was it like having it in its place of origin?
It was really eye-opening because we realised we’ve never really had true Malaysian food. There are Malaysian restaurants here in New York, but so much of the real flavor comes from the local produce and ingredients that don’t make it across the world to us. And the experience of eating at a hawker stall just can’t be replicated in the States either.
Based on your meals on this trip, what, if any, impact has Malaysian cuisine had on you ?
The scents, sounds, and flavours from Penang will probably stick with us for a very, very long time. I think we’ll always have an itch to visit again, and hopefully we can make it to KL one day.
How has Penang been different from other cities you’ve been to?
Recently, we’ve been traveling to much bigger cities—like Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, LA, or Taipei—that are modern and bustling. We loved how charming and quaint Penang was. It was nice to experience that slower pace of life.
Did you get any souvenirs from your time in Penang? Take us through your haul!
We did a good amount of vintage shopping there when we weren’t eating. We were surprised by how many great vintage stores there are! Kevin got some denim, an old bag from Porter, and a shirt from Stussy. Anna grabbed a vintage DKNY skirt and also got an old bag from Porter.
If you had to describe Penang to someone who has never been, what would you say?
If you love food, you need to visit Penang!
Is there anything you didn’t get to eat that will be at the top of your list for next time?
Nutmeg juice! We tried so many amazing drinks there but regret not trying the nutmeg juice.
CABAGGES CONTINUED…
What would you say is at the heart of all Cabagges recipes?
I think most Cabagges recipes are simple, comforting, and not so serious. When the page started, the focus was more about cooking together or spending time in the kitchen as a way to unwind at the end of the day, rather than being focused on the technical details. So creating meals that are as fun or comforting to make as they are to eat is always important to us.
If you could spend a week in Malaysia, where else would you like to visit?
Definitely Kuala Lumpur. Also, Ipoh and Melaka if we can make it work.
Are there more trips to Southeast Asia on the Cabagges horizon?
We hope so! We’re always talking about visiting the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, but those will probably have to wait another year or so.
What’s next on the agenda for Cabagges?
We need to get back to cooking!
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