Ho Chia Wei (Jiro), Chef De Cuisine, The Westin Langkawi

Ho Chia Wei (Jiro)

Ho Chia Wei (Jiro), Chef De Cuisine at Tide, The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa shares how he got into the food and beverage industry and some interesting stories from behind the scenes.

What do you do and how did you get into the industry?

I am the Chef De Cuisine at Tide, The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa. I was interested to learn cooking and I loved spending time in the kitchen from a young age, as I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. I was offered a job as a commis after my internship.

Share with us an interesting story from behind the scenes.

I think every day is an interesting day. The one story that really stands out is the time when we had events with eight courses. We worked non-stop and skipped our lunch and dinner. And after the event, we talked about all the funny stories that happened during the preparation and execution. There was one time, we prepared three types of mushrooms for one event, but only realized we did not plate it out as we were all too occupied and we missed it out. It took two hours to prepare the mushrooms and we missed it! Imagine that! It’s tiring and stressful, but we always try to end our day with positivity, and strike to deliver better the next day!

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

Spending time cooking and having weekend dinners with my family.

What’s the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is doing what I love to do – cooking and seeing people enjoying the food I’ve prepared. That’s the sense of achievement I enjoy.

What’s your favourite food and beverage pairing?

My favourite food is pretty simple – a triple cheeseburger (pressed burgers) with apple cider with bitter lemon.

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

Not all days you get to finish your preparation on time due to busy lunch and dinner services. I had this one day, after dinner service, I went home for a shower and returned to the kitchen at 1 am to continue the preparation for New Year’s. I was alone in the kitchen, and while I was working, I heard something unnatural! Just like there’s someone knocking on the window or tapping on the kitchen shelves. I didn’t think I was alone in the kitchen! This is one night that I will definitely remember!

The perfect day off would be…

… a BIG Breakfast with my wife in the morning, video games in the afternoon and plastic modelling with some jazz tune at the end of the day.

A day in the life of a Ho Chia Wei (Jiro) is…

… tiring but rewarding. The best feeling in the world is seeing your guests leave with a smile.

What do you do for fun?

Build plastic model kits during my spare time.

What’s something you’d like guests to know about The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa?

It has the BEST steak and seafood grill on the island.

What’s something you’d like people to know about being a Chef as a profession?

Being a chef is not a profession, it’s a lifestyle and not for the faint-hearted, it takes a lot of long days, and passion is a must.

What’s your view on the food scene in Langkawi?

It’s always evolving, a different season for tourists from different places. We just have to make sure everyone gets a dining experience to remember!

What’s in store for you in the upcoming months?

Next will be getting ready for the holiday season, Xmas and New Year, and possibly another wine dinner!

Find more interviews similar to this one with Ho Chia Wei (Jiro) here. And, stay up to date with the latest food and beverage happenings in KL here.