Halim Chek Lah – Executive Chef

Halim Chek Lah – Executive Chef, Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast 

In this interview, Halim Chek Lah, Executive Chef at Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, shares some stories and learnings from his time in the food and beverage industry.

What do you do? 

I am responsible for ensuring that every meal and food arrangement served to all our distinguished guests is of the highest quality, ensuring guest happiness. I am also responsible for ensuring that kitchen standards are adhered to according to all requirements to meet company goals. 

How did you get into the industry? 

I was introduced to the hotel industry by a friend who was part of the industry. Although I had little confidence in myself at the time, my friends were so supportive and encouraging of my career that I have not looked back since. 

Share with us a story from behind the scenes. 

Culinary teams should be established with a dedicated line leader who consistently checks the entire food arrangement. This is followed by teams who are given tasks to manage, from purchasing ingredients and creating the dish to serving in several preparations and standards. This assignment continues 24/7 with a very tight deadline. Several key chefs monitor, guide and provide any guidance, including training and enhancements, to ensure the whole process never faces hiccups. The executive chef’s role is to be the decision maker, to meet the realistic company goals and targets set by the culinary division and to remain profitable for all departments. 

What food memory from your childhood or travels stands out? 

My grandmother’s homemade traditional confectionaries during festive seasons. Although the process of making them was complicated, she still succeeded in creating delicious and well-presented creations without fancy tools or equipment. I don’t see this much now; I’m lucky to have witnessed that during my childhood. 

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

Worst: To chase the deadline when deadlines overlap and overwhelming tasks.

Best: I have faced this through my experience and learned to manage and keep pushing my limits. Nothing is impossible. 

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

Grilled fresh seafood with lime and mint lemonade. 

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

I served and managed the King of Saudi Arabia’s meals, surrounded by his 10 personal chefs, including the King’s only coffee maker and hundreds of bodyguards. Witnessing how his food was prepared was a surreal and unbelievable experience. If I had not become a chef, I would never have seen this in real life. 

The perfect day off would be… 

Spending time with my kids, listening to music and gardening. Cooking for my family! 

A day in the life of Chef Halim Chek Lah is… 

Constantly thinking about what is coming next and wondering how tomorrow will go. 

What does Halim Chek Lah do for fun? 

Explored mother nature and watch documentary series. 

What do you want guests to know about cooking? 

With fresh ingredients and a little cooking soul, the result never goes wrong. 

How have you grown in your profession? What are your key learnings from your start in the industry until now? Any misconceptions? 

Be consistent with goals, set a mission for yourself, experience things and grow. 

What do you want people to know about being an Executive Chef as a profession? 

The chef must think about everyone internally and externally. Executive chefs play multiple roles: a mentor, friend, and someone to take the blame if things go wrong. He must be firm to achieve his goals and soft enough to calm other young chefs when frustrated. 

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

We try to reduce food waste as much as possible by only serving foods that are high in demand, returning the food waste from our preparation area to be collected and organised, prioritising locally sourced ingredients and managing our recycling box, plastic waste, and oil correctly. This cyclical process results in less harm to the environment. 

What can guests look forward to in the upcoming months? 

An increasing selection of dishes, menu development prioritising speed on delivery to tables and incorporating trending healthy choices. 

Read more interviews similar to this one with Chef Halim Chek Lah here, and stay updated with the latest gourmet and travel recommendations here and here.