Adeeb Palil –Chef, Anon & Ground Coffee Uptown

Adeeb Palil

In this interview, Adeeb Palil of Anon, a local produce-driven casual dining restaurant at Ground Coffee in Uptown Damansara, shares his entry into the industry and current plans.

What do you do?

I’m the head chef at Anon and Ground Coffee, whereby it’s two different types of dining experiences under the same roof. Anon is a casual dining in Ground Coffee, serving a 5-course menu once or twice a month with a different menu each time during dinner. Although we only operate by booking or reservation, we’re also open to catering for private dining and events for corporate and family gatherings. Ground Coffee is a café serving breakfast, brunch, artisan pastries, and specialty coffee in the daytime.

How did you get into the industry?

I started my first cooking job as a kitchen part-timer in a Chinese cuisine restaurant nearby my house right after my SPM while waiting for the results to come out. It was surreal and a really tough job in the beginning. It’s here I grasped some of my basic cooking skills, such as handling fresh seafood and poultry and knowing how to butcher it according to each specific type of dish. To see another part of life behind the restaurant industry at such young age was an eye-opener for me, and it did shape me into who I am today.

After much thought, I decided to pursue this career professionally. I went on to take my first Diploma in Culinary Arts, then a Bachelor of Foodservice Management at Taylor’s University. This is where it all began where. I’m thankful enough to have been guided and moulded by such amazing chef mentors, to name a few, like Chef Frederic Cerchi, Chef Farouk Othman, Chef Karam, Chef Halim, Pn. Siti and many more. I am also lucky enough to be chosen to further my internship training in Carcassonne, France and also restaurants and hotels in several locations in Kuala Lumpur as part of my early training.

Moving forward, I graduated and went to the United States to gain more experience at Boulud Sud, New York, under one of the many restaurants of Chef Daniel Boulud. I think it is one of the most unforgettable experiences to be working with a totally different culture and environment. I learnt so much here under the helm of Chef Travis Swikard.

Soon after, I was given the opportunity by Chef Niklesh Sharma to be a culinary instructor at the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts Malaysia. I have always been an astute academic, and I believe knowledge should be shared with many other young chefs. It is so satisfying to see them grow and chase their dream to be a chef, and I hope that one day, they can be the next lineup leader for the future of the restaurant industry.

Share with us a story from behind the scenes.

Behind the scenes is always waiting for a rainbow after the rain. While it takes a lot of patience, hard work, determination, and perseverance to be in this industry, it is rewarding after each service to see what we accomplished at the end of the day. All the time spent planning the menu, visualising the concept, outsourcing ingredients, understanding guest behaviours and food trends, and the most fun part, being able to serve our guests with care and a good experience, is kind of worth it, after all.

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

My core food memory still lingers is my late mother’s special chicken rendang with a chiffonade of turmeric leaf, a special touch that makes it so much different, served with hot steamy rice. It’s my comfort food that I had during my childhood and Raya festivities, or even if it’s not, I would always request to have it regularly because it is that special.

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

The best part of my job is to be able to try out food that most of us do not get the opportunity to, rare and expensive ingredients which I could not afford by myself.

The worst part may be the long hours and working on weekends. It’s common for most of us in the food and beverage industry.

Adeeb Palil’s favourite food and beverage pairing?

My favourite food and beverage pairing is a ‘midnight sober’ kind of food. Roadside Ramly Burger with Milo Ais Kaw is to go to. Recently, I would also enjoy having a pour-over coffee from different types of origins with a fresh croissant.

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

When I was at the pizza station back in New York, I accidentally almost caught my wood-stone oven on fire. Luckily enough, my colleague was there to control it. It was a terrible day, and I’m thankful that nothing bad happened. If not, I think I would have been done there. 

What can guests look forward to in the upcoming months?

We took a brief hiatus from doing Anon dinners, and we are now ready to be back with monthly menus.

Read more interviews similar to this one with Adeeb Palil here, and stay up to date with the latest gourmet and travel recommendations here and here.