Many moons ago, I promised that I would do an exclusive interview with Chef Michael Elfwing. Many moons ago, I also promised myself that I’d go easy on the alcohol during the Chinese New Year period. Not all promises were kept and I guess we know which promise I kept and which one I didn’t. So anyway… I know it has taken an eternity to get this blog post up… hell the last time I posted anything was last year (based on lunar calendar)… but here it is… my exclusive with Chef Michael Elfwing…

“Hi Lil’ Chef.”
“Hi Lil’ Frat.”
The mood and setting: I arrived just a bit before 8PM at Lil’ Chef’s cosy and chic condominium… somewhere in KL. (Side note: If you want to stalk the handsome Chef and want his address… information is on sale. Just show me the money baybeh! Alternatively, you can try bribing @fatboybakes who also happens to know where Lil’ Chef hangs up his spatula). As Lil’ Chef opened the door to greet me… the smell of his cooking wafted… and I knew instantly that it was going to be a good night…

“Frat, seriously… get out of my kitchen! Oh! The camera!” *smiles*
Frat: Strange thing about gangsters and the mafia, their names never reflect their actual size… in fact it is the total opposite! I mean first names that come to mind are Biggie Smalls… errrm HUGE!!!… and henchmen for the mob in movies are normally called Tiny… and they are HUGE!!! Is that why you are called the Lil’ Chef?… because you are HUGE? *cough* *cough*
Lil’ Chef: Actually…I don’t know why but I reckon its probably from the movie Ratatouille.
Frat: Okay, let’s start slow… Lafite won best fine dining restaurant in Time Out KL. How did that make you feel? Wait don’t answer, I have multiple choice for you to select from. Your immediate thoughts were:
a. Pan sear Damon Campbell! GAHHHHH!!!!
b. Question the voting process/system/mechanism by Time Out KL!
c. Throw Time Out KL away and pick up another magazine
d. Wish there was a bigger budget to promote Senses
e. ALL THE ABOVE
Lil’ Chef: I’d pick up another magazine… so (c).

Dinner is served! I am such a privileged lil troll
Frat: What do you think you need to win more awards next year?
Lil’ Chef: This is where I am different. I am different… I don’t have to win more awards. I am not that hungry for the awards. My project will still be my book… but of course there is the restaurant (without the restaurant I won’t be here)… some changes would be needed for Senses… it has been there 5 years… I’ve been there 5 years! It probably needs renovation or a new marketing strategy perhaps to liven the place up again. You don’t need another award that people forget about after a month. One thing I really like is MIGF, it is the only the event where the Chef is the center of attraction. Doesn’t matter whether it is Chinese, Indian or German cuisine… it is always the Chef.
It would be nice to be recognized by some international awards outside of Malaysia. Some reputable awards have a presence in Malaysia but knowing that most of them are based in Singapore, you don’t know whether they come to see for themselves.
As for awards… we have a tonne of awards… and a lot from MIGF, but look at the success of Takeshi and Cilantro… they’ve never entered anything but they still have that impressive following and built up clientele.
I guess you just got to believe in what you do… doesn’t matter which magazine likes it… we all have different taste and preference.
Frat: Actually, which awards are worth following in Malaysia?
Lil’ Chef: A lot are advertisement based, so I don’t know. I think many people are aware of this as well.
Frat: Doctor Evil’s new plot is to take away the pleasure in eating… to stop Doctor Evil from this madness, you are called to assemble a five man team of Malaysia’s finest Chefs to form a grime fighting team… who would you pick to fight by your side and why?
Lil’ Chef: Okay… *ponders long and hard*
Chef Ken Ho (Third Floor) - Ken is very Zen, very cool and calm. He is humble, quiet and doesn’t make a fuss. He would be a good holding all together kinda guy.
Chef Takeshi (Cilantro) - There is a certain precision in his work. He is consistent and hence reliable.
Chef from Sek Yuen (number 313 Jalan Pudu) - If everything fails and there is some fire this guy can cook anything. The rest of us will be screwed but he’ll still cook up a feast.
Chef/Old man from Soo Kee (Imbi) – He is quite tall and strong. He’s got his wok and spatula so he already looks like a warrior.
Frat: Did you watch Kill Bill?
Lil’ Chef: No
Frat: Anyway, there is a part in Kill Bill which is quite profound which relates to the next question. Are you born Superman hiding behind Clark Kent or born Peter Parker but now wearing a mask as Spiderman to protect your Peter Parker identity?
Lil’ Chef: Well when I put on the apron I become Spiderman.
Frat: Hahaha… okay cool… so when do we get to see Peter Parker?
Lil’ Chef: … hmmm… at Fat Boy Bake’s for nice Saturday parties.

Another reason why you don’t want to mess with a Chef… he’s got a suitcase full of knives!

Another cool knife for sashimi… and poorly behaved guests
Frat: Woooohooo… he’s so gonna love that answer! Cool… cool! Tell me one of your superpowers.
Lil’ Chef: I don’t pee. I can easily do 24 hours without pee-ing. I can easily go 12-15 hours without even thinking.
Frat: HAHAHAHAHA! What?! That is insane bro!!
Lil’ Chef: Probably training from working many hours in the kitchen without a break.
Frat: From the times we have met… you seem very even tempered. Everyone has a tipping point… what pisses you off?
Lil’ Chef: Repetition or if the same thing gets repeated over and over and there is no change from it and we don’t learn from it… whatever it might be. It can be personal or work related… like if it is personal… if you drink and drive and you crash your car… you should learn from it… if you burn the Wagyu the last time because pan was too hot… don’t burn it again… I guess this is the only thing that pisses me off is when people don’t learn. People can say a hundred times, “Okay I’ve learnt… sorry Chef I’ve learnt” but if you don’t show it then it doesn’t matter. I don’t get affected with most things that don’t affect me. I like to read the papers and watch news but things that don’t affect me doesn’t really bother me. Shit happens.
Frat: What’s the worst disciplinary action you have had to take on one of your staff?
Lil’ Chef: I took his apron off… and told him he can go home now, if you continue to be like this… there is no need for you to come back. You can change, come back and learn… then you can come back tomorrow. I took off his apron very nicely, and told him to leave.
He didn’t come back. Probably too embarrassed in front of everyone as well.
Frat: I hear you don’t drink much… okay errrm that’s relative… damn… anyway… what vice do you indulge in?
Lil’ Chef: It is not that I don’t drink… I think I don’t drink often… it is partially to do with the job that I have.
I can’t cook with a bad hangover. So I just decided to ease up on the drinking.
Frat: Okay… that’s a fair and valid answer. Next… if budget and resources were not an issue, what would you do to improve Malaysia’s culinary scene?
Lil’ Chef: Probably something with education. I would say culinary school but you can’t teach attitude… so that’s a problem.
… but I think in a good culinary school, you can probably change your attitude and build a love for your job. If you have a good foundation, then it doesn’t matter if your first boss (a chef)… is bad… you don’t give up cooking just because of that chef… you move on… because you have built the foundation for love of the job at the cooking school.
If you have good teachers that can teach you good positive attitude about cooking… you’ll find good recipes are everywhere… but you must have the right attitude… because with the right attitude you are able to build that passion.
Frat: What is your end game?
Lil’ Chef: I have a chance to build something now for the future where I don’t have to be like this… I don’t chase to be Executive Chef in a hotel… I have seen good living in Australia… if I want to live well, then it would probably migrate to Australia. My own restaurant perhaps… in a winery or at the country side… not really at the city….
Frat: Okay thanks for that… and now the questions from the public! Lyrical Lemongrass asks: Does the handsome Chef have any stalkers, and how does he hide from them? Is the pet snake to eat them up?
*blushes from the handsome comment*
Lil’ Chef: Yes. Hotel stalker… they stalk me outside. Perhaps also online and magazine stalking. They offer to take me places but I politely decline. It is quite hard to hide from them in an open kitchen. Sometimes my staff help me.

Michael’s Snakey! Notice the bulge towards the right… Snakey just ate! Hehehe… notice Snakey’s bulge… hahaha.. get it… get it? Hmm… nevermind.

Michael keeping his Snakey wet
Frat: Hahaha lucky you have a supportive team. Next, gfad asks: …What I really want to know is who his fantasy dinner guests are and what his last meal would be.
Lil’ Chef: Hmmm fantasy guest would be the Swedish King. He is very knowledgeable about food. Yes… the Swedish King. He is passionate about food. My last meal would be a ball of ice-cream.
Frat: acho asks: Can you do private catering or is that against your contractual terms? If “yes” how much do you charge?
Lil’ Chef: I can do it through the hotel… but at a personal capacity it is against contractual terms. So there’s an outside catering fee… then there’s a Chef Michael Elfwing fee then there’s the menu…
Frat: ouioui asks: If you were a type of food… what would you be and why?
Lil’ Chef: Pasta… because it is comforting, it is something you always have around… you want to have around… it never outshines anything… but it compliments everything… and it is all so yummy… and it goes so well in so many different styles.
Frat: That’s a damn good answer! Okay, this last person requested to remain anonymous. Anonymous asks: Chefs work crazy hours, especially in a place like Senses. So where does all the money you earn go?
Lil’ Chef: Eating probably… and living well. I like to have a home, I can rent a space but when I come home… it has got to be good furniture… MY furniture so that I can call it home. It has got to be comfortable. So if it is a nice toy like an iMAC, TV, a book collection…

Lil’ Chef and what he watched recently. Sharkwater, Jackass, Keeping Mum and Inglourious Basterds among the many movies
I can also spend months of my salary on a holiday and won’t feel bad about it. That means if I want to have 2 star Michelin for lunch and 2 star Michelin for dinner… just do it and don’t feel bad about it.
… but priority changes on and off from month to month… but it is important to know what is important for
that moment. So if I’ve been working hard that month… then I might indulge a little. I think I am quite sensible… I don’t overdo things.
Frat: Awesome… awesome! Well… thanks for the time Chef! I had a fantastic dinner and had a really great time this evening. Don’t mind if I wander around now and take some photos of your place…

What an impressive DVD collection…

… only to be topped by his book collection

Impressive AV setup. Of course… I waited until Mariah was on TV
Lil’ Chef: My pleasure. Perhaps I see you at Sek Yuen next month?
Frat: Sounds good!
That concludes my interview with Lil’ Chef. Sek Yuen did happen by the way… but I wasn’t around to dine with Lil’ Chef. I am sure the other bloggers will write about it soon. Fat Boy Bakes is hell-bent on reminding me what great company, food and alcohol I missed out on… damnnn… ohhh well…
I hope you enjoyed the interview. I’ll scout around for another accomplished Chef to interview. Hmmm… or maybe you guys have suggestions?