Adee Effende Bin Sudin
In this interview, chef Adee Effende Bin Sudin tells a surprising story about how he first got into the hotel industry and some crazy things he has seen behind the scenes.
What do you do and how did you get into the industry?
I am the head chef at The Gulai House at The Datai Langkawi. I started in this industry in early 1991. At that time I didn’t know much about the hotel industry. My friend and I went on vacation to a place in Malaysia and we ran out of money. We had to do some casual work in the hotel to earn enough money to purchase a return ticket home! And that began my life in the hotel industry.
You’ve had some great recognition recently. Tell us about this.
Yes! We were awarded a place in the list of Top 20 Restaurants in Malaysia by Tatler 2019 and was also scored as the Best Malay Restaurant by the Ministry of Tourism.
What is the best/worst part of your job?
The best part is being creative. The worst part is always forgetting my wedding anniversary and not having a family vacation. I can only take a break after the school holidays have finished.
What is one of your favourite meals at The Gulai House?
Telur itik masak lemak daun peria pantai (spicy yellow duck egg curry with bitter leaves and sweet potato).
What’s one of the craziest things you’ve seen from behind the scenes.
One time, I did a month-long food promotion at Basel Hotel Switzerland. One of the VIP guests staying at that time was a king. My team and I got last minute information that we must prepare a royal set up for the king’s breakfast. We worked like chickens running around with no heads. When the royal couple came for breakfast, they request me to cook Maggie noodles for them. I went back into kitchen and informed my team. Then we just laughed like crazy.
The perfect day off would be…
… on the bed.
A day in the life of a chef is…
… learning news thing not only on the job but also in my life.
What do you do for fun?
Orchid hunt in jungle.
What’s something you’d like clients to know about being The Gulai House?
I want them to discover more about our colourful Malaysian cuisine. In Malaysia, we have Malay, Chinese, India and more. We use many ingredients and spices. Many of them are excellent for your health. In Malaysia, we have 14 states and each one has their own signature dish. That’s why we try to bring the food from our states to the plate at Gulai House for our guests. We focus on mother’s style or home-style cooking and focus on making everything from scratch using local ingredients.
Where do you like to eat and drink in Langkawi when you are not at The Datai?
I like to go to small “warungs,” especially when the owners are older men and women. They cook from the heart.
Find more interviews similar to this one with Adee Effende Bin Sudin here and stay up to date on the latest on Malaysia’s food scene here.
Interesting start! Sure looks like it was all destined to be!