Soft-spoken and immaculately groomed, chef Baharudin Mohd Ali is all shy smiles and gentle responses. But the minute he gets anywhere near food, his whole demeanour transforms and he instantly assumes a steady, sure confidence that is telling of his passion for cooking.

As the Malay chef at Dorsett Grand Subang, Baharudin is responsible for whipping up all sorts of Malay food for the hotel’s many events. But it is obvious that the Malay food that still resonates with Baharudin is the childhood favourites he grew up with in his small kampung of Sungai Udang in Melaka.