Sunway University Bagged Silver Medal at the Battle of the Chefs (BOTC), Penang

Chef Norhafizatul Akma and Chef Nur Fadillah participated in Battle of the Chefs (BOTC) Penang, which was held in August 2022. Both the chefs competed in the Class 27: Malaysian Malay Heritage Cuisine Team Challenge. The competition was organized and coordinated three months in advance, including menu planning, recipe research and development, testing, and training consisting of seven types of dishes from appetizer to dessert which had to be completed within 2 hours. 

The team's biggest challenge is sourcing high-quality ingredients, such as fresh Rambai leaves for Apam Johol. The chefs travelled almost 100 km to source for locally grown leaves. Fresh local herbs, and flowers were hand-picked from a community farm in Shah Alam to ensure their quality and freshness. 

During the competition, the chefs must exhibit the correct skills and techniques in accordance to the cooking criteria and marking rubrics given by the judges. Although there were some last-minute changes due to unforeseen circumstances, all meals were prepared and served on time for the judges to evaluate. Since the competition was conducted outside in an open area under a massive tent, heat and humidity were a real challenge as well.  

Overall, the team achieved 84% and was awarded a Silver medal. It was a beautiful moment for both chefs. This success would not have been possible without the assistance of Jackius Anak Kiking, a very competent and dedicated Diploma in Culinary Arts student who assisted with preparation works from the first day of training until the competition has ended. When asked about what contributed most to their success, the two chefs said, "It turns out that teamwork, great communication, compatibility, and support are key to produce the great work and results."