Chef Viveanthiran Govi Temple Tree Resort Langkawi

Viveanthiran Govi -Chef Temple Tree Resort

Viveanthiran Govi

In this interview, Viveanthiran Govi, Executive Chef of Temple Tree Resort in Langkawi, shares his journey as a chef and upcoming plans.

What do you do?

Make food exciting.

How did you get into the industry?

Being a chef was my dream since I was young. I started cooking when I was nine years old. I decided to be a chef when I was 14. After completing high school. I joined Legend International College of Hospitality & Tourism in 2013 after a great struggle with my Dad. After my last semester, I went to The Danna Langkawi for industrial training in 2015. After my training, I was given a chance by Chef Ridwan Abdl Malik to join Hilton PJ. As I was doing a part-time there, I get an opportunity in Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur and I took the opportunity given by Chef Tommy Franisilla.

Share with us a story from behind the scenes.

I would like to share a funny story on how I generate an idea for any new dish. I was 16 at that time. I have always been the kid that helps mom in the kitchen. We were making chicken sambal. I love to taste everything.

My mom was blending the chilli and my dad walked into our home with a hand full of groceries. I saw he bought a Cadbury chocolate bar. I took the bags and took out the chocolate and started eating it. My mom wanted me to continue blending the chilli paste. Once done I poured it into the pot and a drop landed on my hands. It was hot, so my instant reflex is to lick it. I licked my hand with chocolates in my mouth. The taste was blowing my mind. As an Indian cultured family, we hardly mix sweet in spicy, so the whole experience in my mouth was new to me. I decided to make it something and I took the leftover sambal and grated the chocolate bar and mix with the chicken I had and pan-fried it. That is the story of how I found my signature dish Chocolate Chicken.

What’s food memory from your childhood or travels stands out?

The first time tasting my uncle’s mutton varuval. It’s an Indian dish that is very famous in any south Indian or Mamak restaurant. My mother’s younger brother Mr Vasudevan Appu is a famous lawyer in Kajang. It’s customary for the men in the house to cook at least one meal during Deepavali in our family. He will always chase all his siblings out of the kitchen when he cooks the dish and I’m the only one he will allow to stick around and help. He is very particular about when you taste the dish. He won’t taste it until the lamb is almost done and he let me taste it. The moment it went in my mouth the magic happened. It’s still a very famous dish in our family and no one has come even close with its taste and flavour.

What’s the best/ worst part of your job?

The best part of my job is to make people’s hunger go away. The worst part is the chef who cooks for those people is always hungry and skips mealtimes.

Viveanthiran Govi‘s favourite food and beverage pairing?

Roti canai and teh tarik. As a Malaysian, I grew up eating this. After being in this culinary world for almost nine years the other best match is mixed pepper grilled lamb chops and The Maccalan 12 on the rocks.

What’s one of the most bizarre things you’ve seen behind the scenes?

I have seen many bizarre things behind the scenes from accidents in the kitchen to brawls in the restaurant. I can’t forget the time that Chef Tommy came to my working station in Grand Hyatt KL and started yelling at me for the breadcrumbs spilled on the floor. It was hardly a teaspoon of breadcrumbs. Since it was an open kitchen there was a guest having dinner opposite us. The kid from the table started to cry. Our bar manager Vimalan intervened and said chef the guest is getting upset. He saved me and the kid at the same time. Vimalan gave me a bottle of Champagne since I had a very rough day.

The perfect day off would be…

Not getting a call from my staff while I’m out with my girlfriend.

A day in the life of Viveanthiran Govi is…

… like riding a roller coaster in bad weather. You’ll get wet, get burned, you’ll get fingers smashed sometimes even struck by lightning. At the end of the day, you’ll have the excitement and tiredness from the ride to go home with.

What’s something you’d like guests to know about The Restaurant at Temple Tree Resort?

The Restaurant at Temple Tree offers classics and also a lot of modern food and beverages. Expect your taste buds to be tested.

How has the pandemic changed you, your perspective, or the way you operate?

The pandemic changed my mindset as a person and a chef. I feel we should do things quickly and don’t take too long for changes.

What’s something you’d like people to know about being a chef as a profession?

I would like people to know being a chef is not easy. As a chef, you have the same responsibility as a doctor. If a chef’s food is bad the guest might end up in a hospital bed. You will only allow a doctor’s medicine and chef’s food willingly into your body.

What’s your view on the culinary scene in Malaysia?

It’s a highly competitive market and people are going for the standard and taste regardless of the price. We should use this to our benefit and make all food from all establishments up to a standard. We need to be able to produce high-quality food regardless of the platform. Let it be 5-star hotels or a street vendor they need to produce good quality food with quality ingredients and good hygiene.

How has the pandemic changed you as a person?

I have stopped believing in tomorrow. If I wake up tomorrow, it’s a bonus. I still have dreams to achieve but I will not regret it if now I die because I’m doing my best every single day I wake up.

How has the pandemic changed you as a chef?

As a chef, the pandemic allowed me to learn. It taught me how to do and how not to do certain things. I did a lot of food research and generate more ideas for anything that comes.

What’s in store for you in the upcoming months?

We have a new menu coming up soon. We are planning a Christmas Eve Buffet, Christmas Day Set and New Year’s Eve menu. I wish everyone to live happily and make your stress go away by having good food.

More on Langkawi here, more interviews like this one with

Viveanthiran Govi

here and stay up-to-date with the latest gourmet and travel recommendations for Malaysia here and here.

2 Comments

  1. Interesting story, how he ended up with his chocolate chicken. Yes, with the pandemic, we have no choice but to learn how to do and how not to do certain things.

  2. So proud of you…your journey very inspiring

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