Unaver V. Unabia – Executive Chef, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur
In this interview, Unaver V. Unabia, executive chef at Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur, shares some stories about life in the food and beverage industry.
What do you do?
I lead the daily culinary operations within the property, curating menus based on the diversity of restaurants and bars in Traders Hotel, which also include specific occasions and private events.
How did you get into the industry?
I never imagined that I would be a chef when I was still a little kid. It all started when I was 16 when I helped a family friend in the kitchen for a new opening restaurant in my hometown. From there, I started doing part-time work in the kitchen. Gradually, and without realising it, slowly the interest, curiosity and passion started to develop. The head chef noticed my eagerness, and I expressed my interest in being part of the team. I was taken in as a kitchen apprentice, and the journey continues today.
Share with us a story from behind the scenes.
There are quite a lot of behind-the-scenes stories. However, I am always fond of my development chapter from 2008 to 2009 when I was attached to the Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi group. I realised that as a chef, I should also pay attention to my education and exposure. I decided to pursue my education whilst I was working. It took a ton of hours doing assignments late at night after work, and a few of the assignments required technical experience in finance operations as well. So on top of those hours, I took a cross-department position within the hotel to get better exposure. Due to this, either before my shift started or after I ended my shift, I did cross-exposure for an additional three to four hours within the finance and purchasing division. This helped me get my assignments done late at night. It was a difficult time for me, but I was filled with joy and satisfaction with the outcome of all of those long hours. I believe it shaped who I am today.
What food memory from your childhood or travels stands out?
My mothers’ food will always be the one. Regardless of what dish it is, no matter how fancy or nice the food I have explored and tried, most of the time, I end up reminiscing back to my mom’s cooking.
What’s the best part of your job?
The best part of it is you always have the opportunity to be creative, to express yourself view and envision your dishes and the restaurant for people to experience. Exploring a variety of unique cuisines is also a bonus.
What’s one of your favourite food and beverage pairings?
A nice hot noodle soup bowl with 100 Plus is my favourite.
What’s one of the craziest hings you’ve seen behind the scenes?
I believe most people know how hectic and emotional this line of job is. Sometimes it gets the best of us, especially when it’s busy and everyone is under pressure. A few years back, one of my team lost his cool and started pointing a big chopper knife at the other chef. He then threw that knife at the other chef, and luckily he managed to avoid it while a few of us tried to split them up. Luckily no one was injured, but it was an intense situation.
The perfect day off would be…
being lazy and having a meal at my favourite local noodle soup with 100 Plus with friends and away from the hectic life.
A day in the life of Unaver V. Unabia is…
Challenging, long hours in the day-to-day operations, meetings collaboration, reviewing market lists to ensure produce is properly stocked and in good fresh condition, cost control, revenue analysis, checking guest satisfaction, gaining feedback for further improvement or menus ideas, menu development for private events or sales and F&B team enquiries, reviewing my team operations and giving feedback, advice and teaching the junior chef. Sometimes it can get overwhelming, but once the day is done, it’s always a relief and a great feeling about what we have achieved.
What does Unaver V. Unabia do for fun?
Riding around on my sports bike and meeting up with friends, and occasionally shopping.
What’s something you’d like guests to know about Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur?
We opened up our newly upgraded restaurant called Bara on Six. Our contemporary grill, oyster and gin bar serves great beef cuts, local catches whenever possible and a bar with a selection of craft gins that nods to Malaysian influences. Casual yet sophisticated, Bara on Six also offers delectable alternative dietary options inspired by a healthier lifestyle, such as grass-fed beef options and a few plant-based, low-calorie and sugarless desserts as well. We also have a great nightlife bar at level 33 called Sky Bar that serves fusion bar snacks.
What’s something you’d like people to know about being a chef as a profession?
Being a chef is more than just cooking. The process starts with having good food experience and developing ideas from there – the creation, processing methods, what are the right ingredients, where the ingredients come from and whom you would like to collaborate with to ensure sustainable operations, what is the elements in the food you want to showcase and then how would you market it, and not to mention the back office when it comes to recipe and cost creation, strategising your pricing against your competitor’s set. So to be in these shoes, most importantly, you must have the passion and the right mindset to drive it further.
What practices do you currently implement or hope to implement to work towards social responsibility and sustainability in the future?
Currently, I’m trying to work with local ingredients and suppliers within Malaysia – locally produced caviar from Perak, supporting our local entrepreneurs and local produce Liberica coffee from Sepang and collaborating with indoor vertical farms. I believe this is the way to approach a sustainable supply. We can support our local entrepreneurs and raise the standards for the future.
What can guests look forward to in the upcoming months?
Ramadhan is coming up, so the Ramadhan feast at our Gobo Chit Chat will be a highlight for this month. There are a few things in the pipeline, such as wine-paired dinners and a bit of casino vibes in our SkyBar.
Read more interviews similar to this one with Unaver V. Unabia here, and stay up to date with the latest gourmet and travel recommendations here and here.
Interesting name. Mid-Eastern, eh?