A local chef has been cooking up a storm on both local and international TV. SHUIB TAIB sniffs out Zamzani Abdul Wahabs culinary success story.
FORMER supermodel Christy Turlington used to order take-away mee goreng mamak from the restaurant where Chef Zamzani Abdul Wahab or Zam used to work.
As the head chef of Cafe Aseana at the famed Greenwich Village in New York, Zam also attended to Andrew McCarthy (of St Elmos Fire, The Joy Luck Club and Lipstick Jungle fame) at the eatery. McCarthy eventually became his regular customer.
His customers kept coming back for more, and Zam had them eating out of his hands.
During his stint at the restaurant, Zam revamped the menu and introduced dishes like rendang and ayam percik, all of which turned out to be hits. However, before all the accolades, Zam, like most other chefs, started from scratch.
After graduating from ITM (now UiTM), Zam did his training at three hotels: Kuala Lumpur Hilton, Pelangi Beach Resort Langkawi, and Hyatt Regency Kuantan. Then he took up jobs at Holiday Villa Subang and the Swiss Garden.
That was very brief. I worked for less than a year, combined. I didnt really like having to work for eight hours having to cut vegetables. When you begin, you dont get to be the chef right away. It is not fun.
Then I thought teaching might be fun so I got my lecturer from UiTM to set me up with the School of Culinary Arts at Stamford College, explained the 38-year-old.
That first teaching job lasted for 2½ months. Then, Zam taught at Taylors College in Cheras for a year.
I was also trained in how to be a good teacher. That was in 1995. Our economy was booming. I applied to Mara and was offered a convertible loan, which means that if you graduate with certain grades, the loan is converted into a scholarship. That happened, and I went to the US to further my studies, he recalled.
While studying in the US, Zam tutored for three years before moving to New York to work at Cafe Aseana. He left a year later to work with Malaysian Tourism in
New York.
There he was given the chance to be involved in the Malaysian Food & Culture promotion held in conjunction with the United Nations general assembly in New York in June 1997.
I had a great time in the States. While some of my Malaysian friends preferred to mix among themselves, I made many foreign friends. Whats the point of being overseas if you dont mix around? Because I had my ears pierced and my friends were mainly foreigners, my Malaysian friends thought that I was experiencing cultural shock! he said with a hearty laugh.
Indeed, Zam was having the last laugh. He grew close to his landlord who sponsored him twice to the US again for a TV cookery show with him.
His name is Anthony Michael Caprio and in 2004, I did a TV show called The Malaysian Invasion. I got paid a lot-lah! he recalled.
But after three years in New York, Zam decided he needed a change.
I was feeling a little homesick and wanted to be with my mother. I heard that Kolej Damansara Utama (KDU) was hiring. I made a call, spoke to the head of the school for 10 minutes and got the job!
Zam returned home and started work with KDU in Jan 1998. He is now head of special projects.
Zams foray into local TV came about not long after.
Attending a dinner hosted by Tunku Datuk Rahimah Puteri (the sister of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin) one evening, Zam was introduced to a few of the guests.
One of them called him a month later and asked if hed be interested in doing a 13-episode cooking show for Astro called Garam Gula.
You could say that it was my first TV break. I have since appeared in Cak Cak with Azwan Ali, Cit Cat Raya, Raya Rantau with Chef Wan, etc.
The shows also gave him the opportunity to rub shoulders with local celebrities.
In this business you cant wait for opportunities to knock on your door. You have to do the knocking too. I began scouting for companies who would be willing to fund cookery programmes, said Zam, who found a sponsor for TV3s Rahsia Rasa ... MM Vita Oils.
In 2003, when the dean of a London university came to KDU on a working visit, Zam offered to teach there in return for a scholarship to do his Masters.
He also asked me to take care of the Asian Culinary Academy. I introduced nasi lemak, sambal tumis ikan bilis, and ayam masak merah to the African students and and others. The dishes were popular, said Zam.
Zam has done many TV shows both for local and foreign TV stations, including The Flaming Chef (US, in 2007) and Sugar Party with Chef Zam (Amsterdam TV, The Netherlands, in 2004).
He was invited by Channel News Asia to do Asias Best Kept Secret last month.
The programme follows the life of a celebrity chef and zooms in on Zams daily routine and his work at KDU.
Currently, Zam is shooting Ole Ole Chef Zam for TV9.
To be aired in March 2009, the show sees Zam team up with child actor Fimie (of Hikayat Putera Shazlan fame). It also requires him to travel throughout Malaysia on a campaign called Sua Rasa.
Its a food carnival road show similar to TV3s Sure Heboh. We travel all over Malaysia to promote food, meet the fans, do cooking demonstrations and organise games.
The celebrity chef will also be seen on Dunia Wanita, to be aired early next year on TV2.
This has been the busiest year for me, said Zam. Ive set up my own company called Silver Spoon Network Sdn Bhd as Im planning to do my own shows. I also emcee at functions and do party planning and such. Im loving it all!
