Aaron Phua – Chef & Co-Owner of Fifty Tales

Aaron Phua

In this interview, Aaron Phua, founder, chef and co-owner of Fifty Tales, shares his backstory and future plans.

What do you do?

I take charge mainly of the noodle menu, drinks menu and also the front of house.

How did you get into the industry?

I got into the industry at the early age of 16, working in a cake shop. I was always intrigued by my mum and grandmother’s cooking and wanted to do culinary arts, but I ended up in a school of hospitality. I have taken coffee seriously for the past eight years, and I was crowned the 2019 Malaysia Barista Champion. In 2020 I decided to fulfil my childhood dream, which is to cook. However, I asked myself, as a chef, what would I cook. I said I must cook my own local Chinse cuisine, and noodles were something I grew up eating a lot. That’s why I started Fifty Tales.

Share with us a story from behind the scenes.

My best stories behind the scenes are always seeing happy customers enjoying the food or drinks we prepare for them.

What food memory from your childhood or travels stands out?

A fond memory of food was during my first travel to Hong Kong and having Hong Kong-style Wan Tan Mee. It was nothing like what we have here in KL. The noodles were bouncy. They were not too wet but instead glistened with lard and soy sauce. As a kid, I grew up eating a lot of noodles, but still, the pan mee made from home by my mum is just nothing like elsewhere.

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

The best part of the job is serving people and, of course, getting to do what I love, which is cooking. The worst, however, is always the fussy customers, hahaha.

What’s one of your favourite food and beverage pairing?

My favourite pairing is dry noodles tossed in pork lard with a kopi-O peng (local iced black coffee). It is a breakfast I used to have as a kid. Aside from that, I also like a good steak with a glass of wine or whisky.

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

So far, the scariest thing that has happened behind the scenes is seeing my partner cutting himself and getting five stitches. No joke, the kitchen was covered in a lot of blood.

The perfect day off would be…

My perfect off day would be a movie, a good meal and much time at home with my dog and whisky.

A day in the life of a business owner is …

… the operator, chef, waiter, bartender, cashier, cleaner, HR and etc., hahaha, it never ends.

What does Aaron Phua do for fun?

I do film photography for fun, or you can say as my hobby.

What’s something you’d like guests to know about Fifty Tales and Chu by Fifty Tales?

I would like my guests to remember Fifty Tales as a modern Malaysian Chinese restaurant, and NOT RAMEN!

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

Well, I am still figuring out many things after the pandemic, but I will still stick to making everything from scratch at our restaurant.

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

F&B job is also a professional job like every other, and we deserve the same respect.

What’s your view on the food and beverage scene in Kuala Lumpur?

Malaysia will need more young people to appreciate our own local cuisine and not give so much credit to foreign cuisine. Local cuisine deserves a spot too.

What practices do you currently implement or hope to implement in the future to work towards social responsibility and sustainability?

We want to work on cooking for the orphanage and giving them some kind of childhood food so that when they grow up, they have something to look back and remember.

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

Mainly the relocation of Fifty Tales.

Read more interviews such as this one with Aaron Phua here, and stay up to date with the latest food and beverage happenings in KL here.