​​Terengganu: From Chef To Educator ft. Dato Chef Zam

Dato Chef Zamzani Abdul Wahab was that chubby kid in school that became a target of bully by both his peers and teachers. All it took was one person to believe in him and today, he’s a celebrity chef, co-founder of Food Aid Foundation Malaysia and the visionary behind Rich Talents International College. This is an episode where you’ll hear waves of laughter as Chef Zam recalls his past in the most light-hearted and humorous way possible.

“Nobody is born stupid. Everybody has got talent. If you’re stupid, you can learn. If you are lazy, there’s no cure (tak ada ubat).” - Dato Chef Zam

Timestamps:

00:00 - Guest Introduction

01:24 - Growing up in Kuala Terengganu with a single mom

04:29 - Traumatic experience at the hospital

06:50 - Getting bullied by peers and teachers at school

09:49 - How the bully affected him emotionally: “I hated being seen.”

13:11 - Weight loss surgery journey: Gastric bypass

19:27 - How his life as a chef began in 1990

21:58 - Working experience in New York City

26:44 - “America changed me and opened me up.”

28:00 - Helping more than 7 million people with Food Aid Foundation

31:22 - Food wastage: Reconciling the work he does for NGO and the restaurant industry

33:51 - The struggles of Malaysia families during the Movement Control Order

36:00 - Starting Rich Talents International College

41:22 - His view on the culinary education in Malaysia

44:18 - Challenges in starting a college

47:02 - The vision

49:28 - What is the meaning of life?

50:49 - Must-try food in Terengganu: Nasi Dagang

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