WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST?
My favorite breakfast is something very simple, just a piece of toasted bread with butter or plain croissant with a side of soft boiled egg, and latte.
IS THERE A CHILDHOOD COMFORT FOOD THAT YOU THINK ABOUT?
There’s so many, definitely Kaya toast.
WHICH TALENT WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE THAT YOU DON’T POSSESS?
Able to read music notes? I can play piano but I never learn how to read the notes.
WAS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DO BEFORE YOU STARTED COOKING?
Yeah, fashion show stage producer.
OF ALL THE FRENCH PASTRIES, WHICH IS YOUR FAVORITE TO MAKE?
The Malaysian style Egg French Toast.
IS THERE ONE FOOD THAT YOU’RE SECRETLY OBSESSED WITH HAVING AT HOME?
Lol, edible bugs. There was a place in Flushing that sells northern Korean dishes and they have this silkworm dish that they made that is excellent.
IS THERE A FOOD THAT YOU DISLIKE?
Bitter Melon.
IF YOU COULD FIND OUT ANYONE’S SECRET RECIPE, WHOSE AND WHAT WOULD IT BE?
So far I don’t have one yet.
WHAT’S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MEAL AND WHY?
Something that I had at street fare in Malaysia, there were so many different snacks along the way.
WHAT MENTORS HELPED YOU ALONG YOUR JOURNEY OF BECOMING A CHEF?
My father, he is a great chef. I never wanted to be a chef in my whole life, but I wanted to continue his legacy. He said food brings people together and Nyonya believes that the process of making food is like the process of leading life.
THROUGHOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY, HAVE YOU NOTICED A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KITCHENS THAT ARE RUN BY MEN VS. KITCHENS THAT ARE RUN BY WOMEN? IF SO, WHAT WAS THIS DIFFERENCE, AND HOW DID IT IMPACT THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENT WHILST PREPARING FOOD?
It definitely does. I would say women are more detail-oriented. For Nyonyas, men are not allowed in our kitchen and women are the leaders of the family. I’m used to working in a kitchen and companies that were run only by women.
IT IS REALLY SAD TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING GLOBALLY. YOUNG ASPIRING CHEFS ARE LOOKING TO THEIR HERO’S HOW TO TURN PAINT INTO CREATIVITY. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE ON HOW TO TURN THIS DIFFICULT TIME INTO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE?
I think these days the best asset is to be able to adapt and proceed. We are not sure what is going to happen next but regardless of how we move forward, we are moving forward every day. It is very sad to see what is happening globally, but thinking of how we started, we all started from a very rough start, so I guess we just have to put it in that way, any tough encounters are another boot camp training.
WHAT IS ONE POSITIVE AND ONE NEGATIVE EFFECT COVID-19 HAS HAD ON YOUR LOVE FOR MAKING FOOD?
Nyonya believes in energy, goes around, and comes around. If you make your food in a very nice mood, your food will taste a lot better and if you don’t, people who tasted your food can feel the difference. My personality is very settled and calm most of the time. I tried to maintain how I’m every day, so I would say a good thing right now I could think more about what I can do with some new dishes. Bad thing is that some suppliers are not open so I won’t able to get what I may need sometimes.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN SPENDING YOUR TIME RECENTLY, HAVE YOU HAD TIME TO CREATE NEW RECIPES?
My wife has another store close by (Public Village), I would go help her after I finished working at Kopitiam. I’ve also learned quite a bit of new spices from her Sichuan cooking.
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