Here is a human diary of my life. Here I tell stories about my daily job, hobbies, things I am passionate about, such as cooking-baking, traveling, reading, painting, until the unusual (fun) stuff I do. Here I would also love to introduce you about my family, best friends, and those wonderful people around me. Stay tuned!

CHEF

Cooking is my passion. I started to learn some basic recipes when I was around 9 years old, mostly by helping my mother in the kitchen. And my curiousity about cooking was wild! I was given little tasks such as peeling the veggies, slicing the ingredients and sometimes only sitting next to my mother. I also enjoyed watching cooking shows on local TV, or anything related to cooking on Facebook. Since my eldest sister studied as a Patissier abroad, her collection of cookbooks and recipe clippings became my fascination too. I found bliss looking at the gorgeous food photos, reading the unfamiliar words from different cuisines, and reading the methods.

Then, a year after I graduated from high school, and after having difficulties choosing between Fashion Design in New York City or Patisserie in Melbourne, I decided to pursue my dream in Patisserie. My love for cooking and baking have grown rapidly since then. While I was studying, I took chances by working at several restaurants. I remember my first job was as a rounder at Indonesian Restaurant in Melbourne. After a while, I wanted to seek for another experience, more like I was thinking of upgrading my skill and experience. So I got a casual job as a cook at Chin Chin Restaurant pop up booth in Melbourne Food Festival. It was indeed a fun and memorable experience, I made new friends whom I’m still in touch with until this very day!

I wasn’t expecting anything bigger than the job. Initially the chef who was in charge loved the way I worked and how high-spirited I was about working there. He eventually hired me to work at the actual restaurant as a part-time cook! I was head over heels. It felt like I just won a million dollar lottery!

A little history background, Chin Chin Restaurant is a Thai-fusion restaurant that’s well-known both by the locals and tourists since 2011. Getting this job gave me a sense of achievement. And so, I worked there for more than a year, before I got a greater opportunity to work as a chef at Eureka 89, a fine-dining restaurant located on the 89th floor. Could you imagine the spectacular view from the kitchen?

For these years, working in the kitchen, has taught me life lessons. I have applied a few principles not just in the kitchen, but as in living the life:

When we’re new to anything, it’s best to take notes at first and ask questions if we need clarity later. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s better to get something right by asking five questions than to try and nail it and make a mistake; that being said, however, we’re bound to make a mistake or ten when we’re starting out, so don’t be afraid to make mistakes.