Dato Chef Zamzani Abdul Wahab was that chubby kid in school that became a target of bully by both his peers and teachers. All it took was one person to believe in him and today, he’s a celebrity chef, co-founder of Food Aid Foundation Malaysia and the visionary behind Rich Talents International College. This is an episode where you’ll hear waves of laughter as Chef Zam recalls his past in the most light-hearted and humorous way possible.
“Nobody is born stupid. Everybody has got talent. If you’re stupid, you can learn. If you are lazy, there’s no cure (tak ada ubat).” - Dato Chef Zam
Timestamps:
00:00 - Guest Introduction
01:24 - Growing up in Kuala Terengganu with a single mom
04:29 - Traumatic experience at the hospital
06:50 - Getting bullied by peers and teachers at school
09:49 - How the bully affected him emotionally: “I hated being seen.”
13:11 - Weight loss surgery journey: Gastric bypass
19:27 - How his life as a chef began in 1990
21:58 - Working experience in New York City
26:44 - “America changed me and opened me up.”
28:00 - Helping more than 7 million people with Food Aid Foundation
31:22 - Food wastage: Reconciling the work he does for NGO and the restaurant industry
33:51 - The struggles of Malaysia families during the Movement Control Order
36:00 - Starting Rich Talents International College
41:22 - His view on the culinary education in Malaysia
44:18 - Challenges in starting a college
47:02 - The vision
49:28 - What is the meaning of life?
50:49 - Must-try food in Terengganu: Nasi Dagang
