"MISS, you forgot your glove," whispers the bespectacled young chef manning the soup counter, his tone anxious. "It's okay ma'am, let me get you one," he adds more kindly, no doubt noticing the look of embarrassment crossing my face.
Goodness, how could I have forgotten this "new normal"! I guess it's hardly surprising considering it's been more than a year since I've been out for a buffet makan thanks to the pandemic. Well, buffets will never be the same again, I muse silently as I reach gratefully for the plastic glove offered to me by the young man.
My soup bowl still in my hand, I couldn't help but cast a furtive look at my surrounds. Well, The Westin Kuala Lumpur is certainly going all out to offer a wonderful spread for its Ramadan buffet this year, no doubt making up for its absence last year thanks to the lockdown.
The Living Room, the hotel's all-day, contemporary dining venue pulsates with colours, especially from the "create-your-own-kerabu" section, of which all the ulam (traditional Malay salad) — leaves, shoots, herbs, nuts, proteins, including dipping sauces, are arranged beautifully on a striking wooden sampan (fishing boat).
Elsewhere, at various stations dotted around the dimly-lit restaurant are chefs in their crisp dark attire putting the final touches to their fare, ready to attend to hungry diners. Meanwhile, the air permeates with the mouth-watering aroma of all kinds of food, mingling with one another, causing my stomach to rumble impatiently. A quick look at my watch and I note there's still more than 10 minutes to buka time.
Abandoning my plans to kick-off my first Ramadan buffet with the Sup Kambing Berempah and the Roti Paung, I make a U-turn for the kerabu section instead, lured in part by the exciting and colourful array of ulam.
"If you don't know what to put into your kerabu mix, you can always ask the chef there," a friendly voice jolts me from my scrutiny of the expansive — and overwhelming — selection. I turn gratefully only to find myself looking into the smiling face of Chef Mohd Halim Chek Lah, the hotel's affable executive chef. I'd been informed that he, together with his team, are responsible for conceptualising this year's Ramadan spread.
SEEKING SERENITY
"The theme for this year is Indahnya Ramadan," begins Chef Halim, joining me at my table that looks up to a stunning glass sun burst sculpture suspended from the high ceiling. Adding, He says adds: "I want this Ramadan to be a peaceful one. People come to relax, enjoy their food, and there's no rush in terms of dining."
Continuing, Halim, who hails from Melaka, elaborates that the emphasis this year is on local favourites as well as a good selection of traditional Indonesian fare. It's for this reason that, unlike in most buffet lines around town, he and his team decided to offer only a limited selection of Western dishes. Those still hankering for it, however, can choose from Marinated Spring Chicken with Peri Sauce or Oven-Roasted Herb Crusted Sirloin Beef with Black Pepper Sauce.
"But we have two cycles — as with our other offerings too," continues Halim, adding that in Cycle 1 under the Western section, one can also enjoy Cajun Roasted Chicken with Barbecue Sauce or Mushroom Beef Wellington with Natural Jus.
"Makan, makan," he motions to the plates of food which I'd managed to accumulate on my rounds for breaking fast. "That one's good," he points smilingly to my Udang Butter Nestum. I didn't need a second invitation. The rumbling of the stomach is starting to become embarrassingly discernible.
This year's Ramadan spread, shares the chatty 42-year-old, is actually an extension of what the team had hoped to launch last year. But the pandemic scuppered their plans. "Two weeks after we did the media launch for the promotion, the lockdown was announced," he recalls before adding that he had many talented chefs working with him on the menu last year.
"It took us one week just to plan the menu," remembers Halim, adding that the concept was to mix local favourites with Javanese cuisine. "We have around six to eight dishes from Java in this year's promotion, which we never had the chance to showcase last year. Check out the Opor Ayam, Dendeng Berlado, Tongseng Kambing, Sayur Asem Betawi and more. And if you're a fan of sambal, there's an extensive selection from different districts in Java too!"
EXCITING HIGHLIGHTS
Regulars to The Westin Kuala Lumpur will know that the hotel is synonymous for its popular "durian tent" every time Ramadan comes around. For the past few years, a special tent was erected on the ground floor for durian lovers to feast to their hearts' content after buka puasa.
Shares Halim: "We've had a good run during the many durian seasons but unfortunately, this year we've not been able to offer this promotion because the season is already over and it's been a challenge to get good durians."
My expression of dismay is met with a hearty chuckle and Halim swiftly adds that diners need not be too disappointed as he and his team have been able to still bring durian to the hotel — via their desserts!
"Almost 70 per cent of my desserts this year are durian-flavoured," he declares proudly, adding: "Definitely, the durian desserts are the highlights of this Ramadan promotion. We've created both local and western desserts, many of which are infused with fresh durian. We have Durian Sesame Balls, Pulut Durian, Serawa Durian, Durian Onde Onde, Durian Koci, Durian Eclairs, Durian Cheesecakes… You name it, we have it!"
Another feature of the promotion that the chef is keen is highlight is the Kerabu Sampan. Enthusiastically, Halim explains: "We invite you to create your own kerabu from the ingredients available. Feed your eyes first and then decide what you want. As I said before, there's also a chef on hand to help guide you."
Incidentally, the rather fetching sampan was specially built by a team of carpenters engaged by the hotel. "We wanted to create something different," elaborates Halim, adding that it took almost a month to build it. "A real boat but of course, without the engine. Then we decided to put lights and showcase our kerabu on it."
Asked about the main differences between the Malay offerings and its Indonesian counterpart, Halim points out that the latter tends to have less gravy and are spicier. "The dishes from Indonesia tend to be devoid of gravy or sauces. They like their food dry," he explains.
Adding, Halim, who cites his mother's Fish Head Curry as his favourite food, says: "Also, they like their food spicy and hence use a lot of chilli. And of course, the dishes must come with sambal. That's why we're also showcasing a wonderful selection of sambal from different districts such as Surabaya, Madura, Bandung, and Tuban and so on."
Local favourites that make up this year's spread are familiar traditional favourites. I'm already salivating at the thought of sampling the various Rendang (Rendang Tok, Rendang Daging Utara, Rendang Ayam Hijau), as well as Melaka's specialty of Asam Pedas Pari.
"Don't forget to try the Ketam Bercili and the Daging Pesamah," coaxes Halim, before reeling off more items for me to try out. From Patin Masak Tempoyak, Kupang Sambal Ijo Balado, to Ketam Masak Lemak Daun Kesum and Paru Berampah… My head is already reeling at the choices!
"Oh, don't miss our roast lamb!" The father-of-four suddenly exclaims. Chuckling at my horrified expression, he adds: "Our roast lamb is special. It's New Zealand lamb and we marinate it for 24 hours. We rub it with a special sambal, that's more sweet than spicy, to influence the flavour. Try it tau!"
JOURNEY TO REMEMBER
This year marks Halim's third year with The Westin Kuala Lumpur. But he's an industry veteran with more than 21 years under his belt. Recalling his journey, Halim, who joined the hotel as an executive sous chef in 2018, shares: "The first hotel I worked in was Hotel Concorde in Shah Alam where I was a kitchen apprentice. Then, I worked in an Italian restaurant in Cyberjaya."
He returned to his hometown of Melaka after his stint in Cyberjaya but found the pace a little too slow for his liking. Confides the chef: "In terms of the F&B landscape back then, it was less dynamic and that's why I made the decision to return to KL to hone my craft."
He never looked back. From Hotel Istana, Halim, who enjoys cooking local and ethically-sourced ingredients, spread his wings to other established organisations such as Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur, St Regis Kuala Lumpur, Grand Hyatt, Hilton Kuala Lumpur and a number of renowned boutique resorts.
"Actually, when I was younger, I initially pursued an architecture course. But to be honest, I never had a real passion for it," confides Halim, adding: "So on weekends when I had the time, I used to help my friends who were in the hotel line to do part-time work in the kitchen for weddings etc."
Asked whether his penchant for cooking had anything to do with his childhood, Halim shakes his head. "Growing up also I didn't do any cooking," he muses, adding: "I guess I just fell in love with the craft having spent all those times helping out my friends. It so happened that one of the chefs told me that I had the potential and he was keen to absorb me into his team."
From then on, he found himself travelling to Penang, Singapore, and participating in various culinary competitions. Recalls Halim: "I was at the time in the middle of my apprenticeship as a kitchen helper for a hotel. By then I knew this was going to be my career path so I decided to pursue advance study in this field at UiTM (Universiti Teknologi MARA)."
The kitchen, adds the self-confessed perfectionist, isn't an easy place to work in. "It's a dirty job!" he exclaims, matter-of-factly. But he still loves it. "I love being in the kitchen because in a way, I feel 'free' when I'm in there. If you're smart, you can complete what you need to do and explore your creativity. There are so many skills to learn — there's no time to be bored!"
He also loves the fact that he gets to meet — and forge relationships — with people from all walks of life. "People I'd otherwise never dream of meeting," he says, eyes sparking under his dark-rimmed glasses.
Adding, Halim, the youngest of nine siblings, elaborates: "From royal families to celebrities, to fellow chefs as well as really interesting individuals. You get to talk to them, help them plan what to eat for their weddings, birthdays. I enjoy meeting people who share my passion. What I learn, I like to cascade to my young chefs who work with me. It's exciting!"
Returning our conversation to The Westin Ramadan promotion, Halim, whose forte lies in the cold kitchen, concludes: "Last year, we weren't able to deliver a Ramadan experience for our guests and I do believe that many actually miss this. I predict by the second/third week we'll get the traffic here. But the most beautiful part? That we get to meet again. This is a great opportunity to rekindle relationships and during such a beautiful month."
For dining reservations, takeaway, or delivery, contact Westin Dining at +603-2773 8495, WhatsApp +6012-305 1715, email westindining@westin.com or log on to www.thewestinkualalumpur.com for reservations and details.
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