Amelia Ng represented the Bailliage of Malaysia in the 2017 International Final held in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany. She was the Winner!

Five years on she is the Pastry Chef at Willow KL. Located in the 5-star W Hotel in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, the vividly brilliant Willow KL restaurant and bar pairs mouth-watering delights in concert with live music making it an ideal venue for any up-market social engagement, be it an intimate occasion or celebratory event.

These are questions posed together with her responses:

Have you always wanted to work in the hospitality industry?
No. Before joining culinary school, I had a degree in public relations and journalism. I found my love for cooking while I was studying abroad. I had no choice but to cook for myself. I have never looked back since.

From where does your love of culinary arts come?
From my late grandmother. She was a very good cook, and she always made everything from scratch. She has always been my biggest inspiration in cooking.

What inspires your culinary creativity?
For me the ingredients itself are the ones that inspires me to create new dishes.

What do you think are the most significant trends or challenges faced in the industry today?
I think one of the hottest topics in the food industry now is sustainability. As our world gets more and more populated and advanced it is sad to see how much food waste is generated. I feel that as chefs we should figure out a way to use our resources and ingredients wisely to significantly reduce food waste creating a better environment for everyone in the future.

The numbers show that women chefs drop out of the industry much sooner than men. Why do you think this is happening?
It’s the result of long hours and physical demands of the job, which see many women stepping back for lifestyle or family reasons.

Has anything affected your entry into other culinary competitions?
For me, it’s having to juggle a full-time job and to train at the same time. After a while it takes a toll on your mind and body.

What advice would you offer to young women wishing to start a culinary career today?
Keep your head down and work, never compromise the quality of your work, don’t stop learning, always strive to be better, once you are a master of your profession people around you will naturally start to respect you.

Has participating in the International Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition together with ongoing membership of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs helped you with your career?
Joining the competitions made me improve on my skills a lot. While training for the competition I learned to work more efficiently and faster. This skill has helped me significantly in my career.

What do you think is the future of the restaurant/food business over the next five years?
I think the future of the Food and Beverage business is going towards sustainability, many Michelin-starred restaurants are going plant-based to educate to the public on more sustainable living.

How do you see your career development during this period?
My career development has been very exciting. After joining the Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition, I enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu Paris to learn pastry. From being a main kitchen chef, I am now working in the pastry section preparing desserts.