KUCHING: Holding onto one’s roots and culture is the key to becoming an amazing chef.
Chef Febs Asyagaf from Indonesia said as a chef, these two factors are what makes their dishes unique from others.
Born of a Sumatran father and Javanese mother with a slight touch of Arabic and Chinese culture, the 35-year-old said for her, the signature dishes that she had made during her career as a chef is all thanks to her culture.
“I am very privileged to inherit all these rich cultures and being able to apply it in my cooking,” she said when met by New Sarawak Tribune during the SAGO Incubator Programme 2023 at the Hills here on Sunday (July 23).
As to how she got to be a chef, she said it all started when her parents taught her how to cook when she was about seven or eight years old.
“Actually, my background was journalism but I got into the food and beverages (F&B) business long ago because of my passion for cooking.
“So I did culinary studies and came back to my country to be a personal chef,” she said.
With her experience of being a chef, she advised those who are planning to embark on the profession to just go for it.
“Being a chef is such an awesome profession but the important part of it all is for you to hold onto your roots.
“You’re going to need it when you try to improvise your food. With that, people will know your character through your dishes,” she added.
For Febs, Indonesian cuisine is her expertise.
“And I am proud of it. Everywhere or anywhere I go on a job, I will always promote Indonesia through my cooking.
“Therefore, for those who wish to become a chef, I advise you to just do it. Though the journey will be rough at first, with the passion and the cultural roots that you hold onto, you will be fine,” she said.
Talking about roots and cultures, she noted that Southeast Asia is closely bound by close culture and roots.
As such, she stated that it should be something countries in the region should be proud of.
“With similar culture and roots, it is really important for us to promote one another. Traveling around, I am not ashamed to say that we share the same recipe and culture. For me, this is what makes us special.
“It should not be something that we should use against each other. We should see all these things in a positive light, that we are actually one family as brothers and sisters,” she said.
Febs commended the organisation of the programme here saying it is on point in terms of its objective.
The SAGO Fest is a two-day(July 22 to 23) gastronomical experience that goes beyond traditional food festivals, celebrating a perfect blend of cultural heritage, modernisation, innovation and sustainability.
“If we are looking at it economically, the F&B industry is a crucial part of it. The way I see it, this fest is such a good idea for it.
“I hope such a festival will continue to be held because it serves as a platform to help the people in the industry be more creative.
“Moreover, this festival also helps businesses as they can promote what they are selling. Therefore, I see that this fest is not all about food but also a place where your culture and sustainability can feature,” she said.
During the cooking demonstration segment here, the chef cooked one of her signature dishes which is based on ‘kepayang’. The dish was thereafter served to patrons.
