Team Independent Clinched 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Medals at HOFEX 2013!

From left: Levin Tung, Fong Wei Loong, Ling Kar Weng, Chef Darren Teoh and Chef Kenneth Kam (School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts). 

CIMB EcoSave Green Kitchen Challenge- Finals!

The CIMB Green Kitchen Challenge happened last Saturday saw 10 secondary school finalists  taking centre stage in a cooking competition. The CIMB EcoSave Green Kitchen Challenge, a corporate social responsibility initiative was organized by CIMB Islamic with the support of Pusat Sumber Alam Sekitar and KDU University College. The event was held in KDU University College, Damansara Jaya campus on  20^th  October 2012. The intention of this challenge were to educate students on simple ways and methods to minimize solid waste and promote long-term sustainable benefits to the environment. 

Each school team had a mentor to supervise and guide them.

Titian Kasih Project!

What could one ever lose to contribute their time, effort, and a little bit of help, to help others in need? Helping those in need by giving them tutorials, teaching them a little something, and organizing a workshop for them could possibly make the world a better place. On 25th February 2012, KDU members of SUKDU (Student Union KDU), Culinary school and KDU Performing Arts collaborated with TKEP (Titian Kasih English Programme) to organize a workshop for the orphans and those from broken homes. The workshop took place at KDU University College, Damansara Jaya campus.

SUKDU members with the children from Titian Kasih

ASEAN Heritage Food Trail with Datuk Chef Wan

Donned in a Batik shirt and a pair of brown linen pants, Datuk Chef Wan walked in KDU University College, Damansara Jaya campus with his broad smile. He is a well-known Celebrity Chef especially among the Malaysians. Those who have watched his culinary skills on television are very fond of him as he takes pride in his work. He has chosen KDU Culinary students to take part in one of his culinary episodes of the ASEAN Heritage Food Trail which was video-ed on 1st November 2011 with Sensix Creations.

The setting took place at KDU's "Connexions" Kitchen with the assistance of Chef Fami Taufeq bin Fakarudin (KDU Chef lecturer).

Awed and inspired by Chef Wan's knowledge and experience of the culinary industry, the students were excited and eager to meet him.

The Grand Opening of Wizard's Hideout

Let's feast this November! As we slowly enter into year 2012, let's make year 2011 memorable. Come and join us on our concept dinners by students where they are taking their Degree module called "F&B Concepts Development". Come support them and have a great time with your friends, your loved ones or even with your family.

Come and enjoy this concept dinner of the "Wizards Hideout" on 15th November 2011.

Time: 7.00-9.30pm

Venue: KDU University College, Damansara Jaya Campus (Windows of Damansara, 1st Floor)

Price: RM 70 (Inclusive of mocktail and a glass of wine)

* A mystery door gift awaits you

-For reservation, do contact Mushir (017-3719133) or Boey (014-9302955)

Let's take a look at the menu!

Psssssttt, we hear there’s a ‘Best Young Chef of the Year’ amongst us here in KDU College…

…and it’s none other than Chef Malcolm Goh, from the School of Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts!

The young chef, who has been in the industry for five years, said that it’s an honour to have been bestowed with the title, especially since this is his last year to qualify!

“When I first heard about the award, I was shocked and happy at the same time,” Chef Malcolm quipped. Continuing, he said, “It really does feel good to be recognized for all my past achievements, and it’s a good motivation factor.”

FHA Winners

A team of three KDU students brought home a Gold Medal from the recent FHA in Singapore (read more about KDUs involvement). The Food Hotel Asia is one of the most prominent events in the hospitality world. Ooi Shar Mayn, Amanda Yuen and Julia Ung took part in the Dream Team Challenge and tell us, how they experienced the event.

(L-R): Dream Team Winners - Amanda, Julia and Shar Mayn

For those who do not know what the Dream Team challenge is, could you explain it?
Shar Mayn: The Dream Team challenge is a competition that requires a team of three: a chef, a bartender and a service staff member. Teams should try to provide the ultimate dining experience for their guests, whilst maintaining great team work and good communication with them. It is like an actual restaurant service, based on a theme, with a three course menu. I was the bartender, Amanda was our service personnel and Julia was the Chef.

Read more....

Inter-College Healthy Cooking Contest 2010 - Photo Gallery

A Class Above the Rest - Winners of the FHA 2010

Interview with The Star, 15 May 2010

The Competition
The Food and Hotel Asia (FHA) Competition was held in Singapore from 20 to 23 April 2010. The FHA is held once every two years and is hailed as Asia's largest and most established culinary competition. It is also the world's third largest culinary competition.

The Competitors
More than 500 practitioners in the food & beverage industry from over 22 countries and regions.

The KDU Winners

GOLD - The Dream Team Challenge
Hospitality & Culinary students Julia Ung Yi Lin, Ooi Shar Mayn and Amanda Yuen

GOLD - Hot Cooking
Chef Lecturer and Competition Chef Advisor Kenneth Kam (also Gold medalist FHA 2008)

SILVER - Two To Tango
Culinary students Tristan Lim and Eddie Tan

SILVER - Hot Cooking
Culinary student Christopher Yee

SILVER - Hot Cooking
Chef Lecturer Malcolm Goh

BRONZE - Ethnic Asian Meal
Culinary student Nurilkarim Razha

BRONZE - Pastry Showpiece
Pastry Chef Lecturer Raymond Tham

The Malaysia Barista Championship 2010 @ KDU College

Beverage Studies is a subject in the KDU-IMI Diploma in International Hotel & Tourism Management. For more please visit http://htca.kdu.edu.my/diploma_hotel_tourism.html

A KDU Experience for SMK Bukit Bandaraya students

Written by: Ann Teoh

As part of our outreach programme to secondary schools, KDU College extended a warm welcome to students from SMK Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. 39 bright,happy cheerful faces greeted us. Accompanied by their teachers, Puan Sharia Liza Shaari, Encik Aminudin bin Leman and Cik Norhasnisa bt. Abdul Samat, the students who are doing a module on Catering & Serving at their school had the chance to make apple strudel with Chef Yahaya.

Puan Sharia Liza Shaari from SMK Bukit Bandaraya.

Cik Norhasnisa bt Abdul Samat and Encik Aminudin bin Leman (teachers)

Power Chef Competiton 2010 at KDU College!

Written by: Ann Teoh


Calling all Form 4 and Form 5 secondary students! Here is your chance to prove your culinary skills at KDU's 2010 Power Chef competition. There is a chance you may win the big cash prize. You will never know if you do not give it a try. Key in the date, 26th March, in your handphone as this is the Preliminary round. Speak to your school counsellors as bus transport will be provided for you and your school mates. See you there!

SMK Victoria Institution Visits KDU College

Form 6 Students of SMK Victoria Institution recently paid KDU College a visit. Led by Puan Vasantha, their Guru Cemerlang, the students had a fun time touring the campus and enjoying the culinary workshop.

Secondary schools that are interested to have complimentary culinary workshops at KDU College are advised to contact KDU College. For more information on the School of Hospitality, Tourism & Culinary Arts (SHTCA), explore their website at http://htca.kdu.edu.my or KDU College site at www.kdu.edu.my

You may also contact KDU College counsellor, Mr. Jerome Heah at 03-7728 8123 Ext. 625 or E-mail: best@kdu.edu.my

Degustation

Chef Lecturer Kenneth Kam and his culinary competition team - Independent, recently organized a dinner event for their preparation for 2 different culinary competitions; HOFEX2009 (Culinary Competition in Hong Kong in May 2009) and MIHAS2009 (Culinary Competition in KL also in May 2009). The dinner took place at Café 87, a casual-dining restaurant at KDU College. A different menu every week for 4 weeks is prepared until the end of April 2009. Last week featured 12-course Asian themed dinners, whereas this week's 11-course dinner with more Western themed.

Week 1 Menu

Week 2 Menu

Guests were treated to a whopping 12-course dinner menu. I must admit that at first i thought it would be easy for someone like me to conquer 12 different dishes. I was almost full by the 8th dish and wanted to 'tapau' the remaining dishes but managed to push myself further to reach the finishing line...the Dessert. Nevertheless, it was a great experience for me to try out all 24 different dishes over the span of 2 weeks.

I have included the pictures taken during my dining on the 8th April. Tune in every week for more sumptuous images of the culinary creations by these competition bound students and chef lecturers. For more exciting programmes offered by SHTCA, please visit their website at http://htca.kdu.edu.my/ or KDU College at http://www.kdu.edu.my/

The Critics; Me (in red shirt) and colleagues

An Asian Trio
'Yee Sang', Miso Cod & Chilled Scallop

Mee Suah Soup
in superior consomme

Tandoori Quail
with cucumber Mint Yoghurt and Naan bread

Seafood Tomyam
Tomyam Soup with Mixed Seafood

Mango Kerabu and Chilled Soba with Yabbies
A duo of mango kerabu & chilled soba with Australian red claw Yabbies

Duck Kut Teh
Herbal Duck Soup

Roti Jala Wrapped Chicken Roulade
with Japanese curry & long beans

Roast Duck Wonton Noodles
5 spiced Roast Duck, Bok Choy and a Chinese Mushroom

Assam Red Snapper
served with saffron and date rice & 'Acar'

Pan seared Salmon and Cod with Saffron Mash
a duo of salmon and cod served with saffron mash

Chocolate Brownie and Raspberry Millefeuille
with vanilla ice cream and passion fruit coulis

Orange Pancake Gateau
accompanied by a poached pear and lemon sabayon sauce

Top Chef's Tom Colicchio

Q&A with Kate Pickert

Tom Colicchio is a highly successful New York-based chef and cookbook author, but to fans of Bravo's cooking reality show Top Chef, he's the head judge. His piercing blue eyes, bald head and bottom-line honesty have helped make the competition show, which airs it's fifth season's finale Feb. 24, a dream opportunity for aspiring top chefs across the country. Colicchio talked to TIME about the love affair between two contestants, fellow judge Toby Young and saving a life the night before Barack Obama's inauguration.

You've talked about how you get your teenage son to eat healthy food. What does he think about your on-air personality?
He does watch the show. But I'm Dad. My on-air personality is not very different than my normal personality.

My son, before he went to school, he'd eat pretty much everything. Then as soon as he went to school, he got some peer pressure and other kids would say, 'Oh, you're gonna eat that. That's horrible. That's disgusting.'

What did your son eat before he started going to school?
Green vegetables. He has a problem with green things. I don't know why. If we have pizza and there's basil on it, he'll pick the basil out. But he likes peas for some reason.

Who have been the best characters in Top Chef's history?
First off, I need to say that we don't vote characters. All the personalities that come out in the reality part of the show — we're not privy to that. We had no idea Hosea and Leah were making out. We don't know, nor do we care.

But putting that aside — Stephen and his battle first season. He was a good cook, he had that tie on all the time, he was a real character. I think Hung had a big personality and I think he'll always been known for how fast he was in the kitchen, teetering on the edge of being dangerous. This season, obviously Fabio obviously is a big personality and a great guy. But I think also the villains stand out, like the Stefans and like the Tiffanis.

You said your on-air personality is not that different than your regular personality. Is [host] Padma [Lakshmi] different off the air?
No comment on that. (Laughs)

Is [Season 5 judge] Toby Young going to be back again?
I have no idea. A lot of people were like 'Oh, I can tell Tom hates Toby.' I actually got along with him really well. To get some fresh blood is nice. He's actually quite charming and funny and witty and I enjoyed having him around, so I don't know why people think that I hate him.

How often do you have big disagreements among the judges about who should win or lose the challenge?
From time to time, we'll have disagreements.

Who prevails?
If it's a tie, I do. We don't deliberate off camera at all. Often, when a guest judge is in, we have to tell them 'Keep your comments for the camera.' We don't want to have to recreate that conversation because we're not actors and it would sound sort of trite. I want to have a nice lively debate. What bugs me is if you get a judge on who thinks that their role is just to be witty and funny and clever and look at me. The show isn't about the judges. The show is about the contestants.

How much involvement do you have in what the challenges are?
The producers come up with the challenges.

Have there ever been challenges where you thought, 'This is so weird'?
I remember in the first season going 'This is retarded. I can't believe they're making chefs do this.' But then it actually does show off certain skills. And at the end of the day, this is entertainment and this stuff is very entertaining. Is a lot of it ridiculous? Of course it is. But that's what makes it interesting.

I heard you saved cookbook author Joan Nathan's life with the Heimlich maneuver at an inauguration party this year. Is that true?
It's true. It all happened so quickly. I was literally three feet from her. I was having a conversation with somebody else. She came in and I looked to my right and I saw her holding throat and two people next to her patting her back. And I walked over, put my arms around her and said, 'Can you talk?' She said 'No.' I hit her once. I asked her again. She said no. I did it again, chicken came out and that was it. It happened so fast.

Was the Heimlich maneuver part of your formal chef training?
I had some training — I was a lifeguard when I was 17 years old.

I know you can't divulge the winner, but can you tell us anything about what we'll see in the season finale?
People come up to me all the time and ask who won. It's like, if you watch the show, do you really want to know? I don't tell anybody. I think my wife may know. My son doesn't know. I love it when people say, 'You can tell me. I won't tell anybody.' Oh right, the contract that I signed that says I can go to jail for telling, you're excluded, right? No!

Read About Tom Colicchio Cooking a Meal for Under $10

Rendezvous with Chef Kenneth

Chef Kenneth and his team recently organized a dinner at Cafe87 for 3 nights only. The dinner was a practice for competition bound KDU College's culinary students. I was there for 3 consecutive nights to try out all the dishes. Below are the menu and pictures taken...

From Rendezvous with Kenneth