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July 14, 2024

EP: 71 Season3 Launch & Checkin with Indonesian Pastry Chef Gunawan Wu

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Season3 Launch & Checkin with Indonesian Pastry Chef Gunawan Wu

Introduction: We're doing something very special to kick off Season 3 of Voice4Chefs. Joining us is my friend all the way from Indonesia, the amazing pastry chef, entrepreneur, and international pastry judge, Gunawan Wu. Known for his humility and dedication to helping others, Gunawan is not just a talented chef but also a mentor and an inspiration to many.

Episode Highlights:

1.     Chef Check-Ins:

  • We’re bringing back chefs who originally started with the show to see what they’ve been up to.
  • This episode is recorded for audio and our Voice4chefs Youtube Channel.

2.     Re- Introducing Gunawan Wu:

  • Gunawan Wu, from Indonesia, returns to Voice4Chefs.
  • Gunawan shares his gratitude for the platform and its impact on young and struggling chefs.

3.     Culinary Journey:

  • Gunawan's background as an international accredited chef judge and pastry instructor.
  • His experience teaching masterclasses in Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
  • Exciting news about his new restaurant venture in Indonesia, Gazoz.

4.     Past Experiences:

  • Gunawan's time in Australia working with various companies, including Nestle and Lakanto.
  • His role as a brand ambassador and the impact of COVID-19 on his career.

5.     Teaching and Mentoring:

  • Gunawan’s experience teaching children and adapting his technical skills for younger students.
  • The rewarding moments of seeing children successfully create complex desserts.

6.     Judging Competitions:

  • Insights into judging international chef competitions, including Chef Hats and high school competitions.
  • The joy of tasting innovative dishes from young chefs and networking within the culinary community.

7.     Special Recognitions:

  • Gunawan’s participation in the Savoir Patissier of the Year competition.
  • His journey from a young graduate to a recognized pastry chef, inspired by his mentor.

Conclusion: Join us in celebrating the incredible journey of Chef Gunawan Wu, from teaching and mentoring to opening his own restaurant. Tune in to gain valuable insights and be inspired by his story of dedication and passion for the culinary arts.

Season2

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Transcript

WEBVTT

00:00:00.020 --> 00:00:01.810
We're doing something very special.

00:00:02.200 --> 00:00:11.599
My friend all the way from Indonesia is an amazing pastry chef, a chef and a restaurant owner and an international pastry judge.

00:00:11.660 --> 00:00:17.009
What's so incredible about him is he's so humble and he helps so many people.

00:00:17.009 --> 00:00:20.268
He mentors people and he's just a really inspiring chef.

00:00:20.278 --> 00:00:21.329
And I thought about this.

00:00:21.864 --> 00:00:29.574
And I talked with him and I said, I'm going to do these chef check ins and I'm bringing back people that originally started with the show.

00:00:29.614 --> 00:00:35.274
And we're just going to check in with them and see what's going on, what they're up to, what they've been up to since the last time we talked.

00:00:35.314 --> 00:00:37.774
And we thought that we would do this on video for you.

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So you could really connect.

00:00:39.378 --> 00:00:43.289
This is Gunawan Wu, and he's my friend all the way from Indonesia.

00:00:43.340 --> 00:00:44.988
And I just want to welcome you back Gunawan.

00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:46.750
I'm so honored to have you here.

00:00:46.789 --> 00:00:49.920
Hi Michael, thank you for having me in Voice for Chef.

00:00:50.048 --> 00:00:55.889
I think this is a really great platform where we can share our experience, our time.

00:00:56.308 --> 00:01:02.048
And hopefully it helps many young chefs or struggling chefs or any chefs out there.

00:01:02.100 --> 00:01:04.400
And hi guys, my name is Gunawanu.

00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:10.468
If you haven't seen my podcast with 4chefs before, I'm an international accredited chef judge.

00:01:10.469 --> 00:01:22.194
I judge cooking competitions and also I'm international pastry chef instructor, so I've been doing masterclass in Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia.

00:01:22.234 --> 00:01:27.304
Hopefully one day I can go to Seattle to do some masterclasses with Michael.

00:01:27.555 --> 00:01:28.545
That would be amazing.

00:01:28.694 --> 00:01:36.165
And also I'm a newly entrepreneur now, so I'm starting my own restaurants in Indonesia called Gazoz.

00:01:36.575 --> 00:01:38.405
Now, I'm working on new project.

00:01:38.435 --> 00:01:40.694
I think we can talk more in this episode.

00:01:40.694 --> 00:01:40.963
Bye.

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It's not secretive anymore.

00:01:42.495 --> 00:01:44.825
It's 70 percent almost done, Michael.

00:01:45.575 --> 00:01:47.224
Oh my gosh, I'm so proud of you.

00:01:47.275 --> 00:01:48.864
Let's just get to that.

00:01:48.875 --> 00:01:53.424
But let's talk about, since the last time we talked, you were in Australia.

00:01:53.534 --> 00:01:53.885
Yes.

00:01:54.135 --> 00:01:56.025
And where were you working in Australia?

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Let's circle back to that first.

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All right.

00:01:59.704 --> 00:02:03.125
I think I go around in Australia a lot.

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I stay in the same city, but I've been working with many companies.

00:02:06.784 --> 00:02:07.944
And it was Adelaide, right?

00:02:08.384 --> 00:02:08.835
Yes.

00:02:09.115 --> 00:02:09.485
Okay.

00:02:09.705 --> 00:02:14.134
I was a brand ambassador, like a chocolate ambassador for Nestle.

00:02:14.194 --> 00:02:15.435
Professionally, Oh my

00:02:15.435 --> 00:02:16.985
gosh, that's really cool.

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And also ambassador for Lakanto.

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It's a sugar replacer.

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I've been working with these two amazing company.

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And unfortunately during that time, it's COVID time.

00:02:28.770 --> 00:02:29.210
Yeah,

00:02:29.219 --> 00:02:30.849
so we can't travel much.

00:02:30.889 --> 00:02:45.710
I guess I can share my knowledge and skills through videos So i've been doing a lot of products and recipes for them in the videos and also in adelaide I've been teaching in a college and also a cooking school

00:02:46.150 --> 00:02:46.849
Yeah.

00:02:46.909 --> 00:02:49.250
And, but you were also teaching kids.

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I remember, tell me about that.

00:02:51.419 --> 00:02:53.719
Cause I see you light up my friend.

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When you think about teaching, I just see the side of you of just the shining, like light.

00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:08.770
And I want everyone to know that's listening and connected because it's a very special thing when you give from your heart and from your soul back.

00:03:08.990 --> 00:03:11.500
And when you're teaching, it's special.

00:03:11.689 --> 00:03:13.090
So I'd love for you to share about that.

00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:15.789
All right.

00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:22.099
So first of all, I've been teaching professionally as a chef instructor in college.

00:03:22.490 --> 00:03:32.770
I barely doing with kids because I think The way my dessert was a little bit too professional for some, a little bit too technical, I would say.

00:03:32.870 --> 00:03:33.259
Right.

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But it wasn't impossible.

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I think when I get the opportunity to teach these kids, I came up with the idea of all my, some of my recipes, some of my desserts.

00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:48.900
I tried it on the kids and give them simple recipe and do it.

00:03:49.110 --> 00:03:58.669
And they actually did it amazingly and I was surprised not just a chef can do this, but kids, when we teach them properly, they can actually follow instruction.

00:03:58.819 --> 00:03:59.389
Wow.

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Do you remember what you taught them?

00:04:02.409 --> 00:04:03.889
Can you share a little bit about that?

00:04:04.784 --> 00:04:05.564
I'm a child.

00:04:05.564 --> 00:04:06.745
I'm coming to learn from you.

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What am I learning?

00:04:08.254 --> 00:04:08.555
All right.

00:04:08.564 --> 00:04:15.615
So depending on the age, obviously I've been teaching start from six years old towards 15 years old.

00:04:15.955 --> 00:04:20.314
So with the teenage, I will go for advanced technical pastries.

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Like I will do my forbidden tree.

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So there is a part with milk chocolate raspberry mousse, raspberry jelly, sponge cake, chocolate soil, chocolate tree, and also pashmak fairy floss.

00:04:35.435 --> 00:04:38.504
So it's a Persian fairy floss to make like a tree.

00:04:39.095 --> 00:04:44.660
And I was amazed that all these kids able to do like a chef.

00:04:44.699 --> 00:04:50.930
It's the same like when you come to a restaurant, this is a restaurant's plate of dessert, right?

00:04:51.290 --> 00:04:51.689
Right.

00:04:52.139 --> 00:04:55.379
With the kids of six years old, I think it's a little bit different.

00:04:55.449 --> 00:05:00.740
First time I was shocked because it's just so different because I'm not used to it, right?

00:05:01.495 --> 00:05:05.545
Really hard to get their attention because they get distracted so easily.

00:05:05.735 --> 00:05:06.394
They're young.

00:05:06.454 --> 00:05:06.785
Yeah.

00:05:06.795 --> 00:05:07.254
Yes.

00:05:07.475 --> 00:05:14.704
And with the, with the hot pan, you're gonna have to teach them how to, stir and saute.

00:05:14.925 --> 00:05:15.545
Wow.

00:05:15.555 --> 00:05:16.295
Hot food.

00:05:16.654 --> 00:05:18.004
And then with knives.

00:05:18.384 --> 00:05:19.274
I was thinking that.

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How do you handle a child with a knife?

00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:26.779
I need to look after 12 to 15 students at a time.

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I'm the only one there.

00:05:28.459 --> 00:05:29.379
I'm like a headless chook.

00:05:29.639 --> 00:05:31.000
So it's wait, you wait, you wait.

00:05:31.459 --> 00:05:31.800
All right.

00:05:31.939 --> 00:05:33.129
Hey, George, just wait.

00:05:33.560 --> 00:05:34.519
I will come to you.

00:05:34.850 --> 00:05:38.259
And I've been running all around to help everybody.

00:05:38.899 --> 00:05:41.100
And that was my first experience, right?

00:05:41.350 --> 00:05:45.680
The first time my initial thought was like, I'm exhausted.

00:05:47.319 --> 00:05:52.699
Going with Charles, a little bit different, especially with 12 to 15, six years old.

00:05:53.149 --> 00:06:00.050
But then after a few tries, I get to enjoy it because how lovely are they, you know what I mean?

00:06:00.649 --> 00:06:03.879
And no matter what's the result, they're so proud.

00:06:03.949 --> 00:06:06.079
And that's what we always forget as a chef.

00:06:06.529 --> 00:06:13.329
We always put too high expectation to ourself and we often disappoint ourself.

00:06:13.699 --> 00:06:15.870
And I Oh, these kids inspire me.

00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:18.269
They really love what they do.

00:06:18.310 --> 00:06:20.560
They're so proud of what we they're doing.

00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:22.620
It reminds me when I was a student,

00:06:23.310 --> 00:06:24.009
Oh, I love it.

00:06:24.180 --> 00:06:29.819
I remember you talked about that in the episode, and if you're not aware, we have a two part series.

00:06:29.829 --> 00:06:33.529
It's called Pushing the Pastry Envelope with Aussie Chef Gunawan.

00:06:33.889 --> 00:06:38.449
He's a rebel in the pastry industry, and, but he's got a humble heart.

00:06:38.939 --> 00:06:43.720
It's just his mind, he like pushes the envelope, and that's why I created that title.

00:06:43.779 --> 00:06:45.360
You should check it out if you haven't yet.

00:06:45.389 --> 00:06:47.360
You'll really get to know his background.

00:06:47.389 --> 00:06:51.879
Yeah, I understand what you mean about pivoting back, and when you work with kids.

00:06:52.095 --> 00:06:54.415
You have these different memories that come back to you.

00:06:54.454 --> 00:06:54.654
Yep.

00:06:54.725 --> 00:06:55.514
That's really cool.

00:06:56.115 --> 00:06:57.564
We've got teaching kids.

00:06:57.904 --> 00:07:05.954
We've got your time in Adelaide working in one or a couple different restaurants, but you were also judging international chef competitions.

00:07:06.115 --> 00:07:06.365
Yep.

00:07:06.444 --> 00:07:08.654
Were you doing, you were doing that in Adelaide too, right?

00:07:08.694 --> 00:07:11.464
I did that in Adelaide almost every year is for,

00:07:11.605 --> 00:07:12.134
wow.

00:07:12.235 --> 00:07:14.024
Chef hats competitions.

00:07:14.214 --> 00:07:14.485
Okay.

00:07:14.545 --> 00:07:22.084
A lot of other small competitions like high school competitions and also apprentice of the year competition, like that.

00:07:22.095 --> 00:07:22.365
Mm

00:07:22.404 --> 00:07:25.524
It's held every year by Australian Culinary Federation.

00:07:25.564 --> 00:07:31.654
So we get to judge three to four days straight for these three different competitions every year.

00:07:32.214 --> 00:07:34.264
Yeah, what's behind the scenes like that?

00:07:34.295 --> 00:07:41.355
Can you describe how many chefs or potential chefs are in the competition so our audience and listeners can get an idea?

00:07:41.404 --> 00:07:47.725
We talk about before COVID, there were a lot of these young chefs or potential chefs.

00:07:48.194 --> 00:07:56.314
They are learning to be a chef at one time, I would say it goes up 12 to 16 participants at a time.

00:07:56.704 --> 00:07:56.995
Okay.

00:07:57.084 --> 00:07:59.314
Look, I was in the best positions.

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I get to see a lot of new potential kids.

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Sometimes they came up with different ideas that you never thought of.

00:08:04.824 --> 00:08:06.545
It's become an inspiration for me.

00:08:06.555 --> 00:08:06.855
Wow.

00:08:06.904 --> 00:08:09.454
And what best is you get to taste it.

00:08:11.454 --> 00:08:12.675
That's what you were telling me.

00:08:12.714 --> 00:08:14.725
Yeah, that must be really incredible.

00:08:14.725 --> 00:08:14.764
Yeah.

00:08:14.964 --> 00:08:24.079
You get to try all these different foods and probably a great opportunity to network with up and coming chefs or chefs that you hadn't seen in a long time, maybe some other judges.

00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:29.980
And because you are definitely a networker, you really connect to people and I think that's a really amazing skill.

00:08:29.980 --> 00:08:30.189
Yes,

00:08:30.310 --> 00:08:37.320
I guess during judging, it was a great opportunity for me to catch up with all the seniors I would say.

00:08:37.725 --> 00:08:42.304
I was quite young to be part of the judging community as well.

00:08:42.355 --> 00:08:42.845
Yeah.

00:08:43.095 --> 00:08:48.125
I was very grateful that all these seniors always there for me.

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They always support me.

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They always guide me how to do this.

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Even though, I've been doing the workshop and all that, but they still try to guide me and all that whenever I ask questions, they're always there.

00:09:01.894 --> 00:09:11.475
And what best is that we get to get along as a friend, not just being in the in the competition, but outside of there, we sometimes going for dreams.

00:09:11.534 --> 00:09:12.239
We still.

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Talk as a chef community,

00:09:14.100 --> 00:09:15.240
wow, that's awesome.

00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:24.159
So the other thing I want to talk about too, and you sent me some recent information about a magazine article, but you were also in, was it Savoir magazine?

00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:26.490
Savoir Patissier of the Year.

00:09:26.740 --> 00:09:27.389
Yeah.

00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:28.850
That's more like a competition.

00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:31.048
So I went for Patissier of the Year.

00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:33.360
It's like a pastry chef of the year competition.

00:09:33.379 --> 00:09:33.769
Wow.

00:09:33.809 --> 00:09:37.570
I remember I just graduated from school.

00:09:37.690 --> 00:09:38.929
Not long after that.

00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:39.139
Yeah.

00:09:39.220 --> 00:09:39.799
Oh, wow.

00:09:39.799 --> 00:09:40.669
So you were young.

00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:41.049
Yes.

00:09:41.090 --> 00:09:41.740
Very young.

00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:43.519
That was like 2016, right?

00:09:43.570 --> 00:09:43.950
Yes.

00:09:43.980 --> 00:09:44.649
Funny story.

00:09:44.769 --> 00:09:56.759
I get end up to join that competition was my mentor my lecturer in texted me and he like, Hey, there's competition going on because he know that I love doing competition.

00:09:56.779 --> 00:09:57.190
I love.

00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:02.720
Challenge myself and you're like, you want to join this, but I'm not sure you're not being young.

00:10:02.850 --> 00:10:05.269
Sometimes you are not confident about yourself.

00:10:05.639 --> 00:10:06.929
You are I able to do that?

00:10:06.980 --> 00:10:10.769
And then he was like saying, if you join, I join, let's do it together.

00:10:10.809 --> 00:10:13.809
So I was thinking about I'm not going to be able to beat him.

00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:18.559
I'm not going to win, but I'm going there to learn something and have fun with him.

00:10:18.649 --> 00:10:20.110
So I apply for it.

00:10:20.179 --> 00:10:22.330
We went through interview and all that.

00:10:23.009 --> 00:10:24.009
I finally get true.

00:10:24.070 --> 00:10:24.850
Wow.

00:10:25.250 --> 00:10:26.480
And I was like I get through it.

00:10:26.500 --> 00:10:29.799
So I call my mentor and I was like, Hey, Paul, did you get in?

00:10:30.019 --> 00:10:31.360
And He's like, what get in?

00:10:31.389 --> 00:10:32.320
The competition.

00:10:32.419 --> 00:10:34.509
And he was like, I never apply.

00:10:34.919 --> 00:10:35.850
I was like, what?

00:10:36.350 --> 00:10:37.279
I already get in.

00:10:37.809 --> 00:10:39.009
Oh my gosh.

00:10:39.570 --> 00:10:40.250
He didn't apply.

00:10:40.250 --> 00:10:41.529
Your mentor didn't apply.

00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:43.220
What am I supposed to do?

00:10:43.220 --> 00:10:44.139
And he was like, don't worry.

00:10:44.149 --> 00:10:45.899
I will accompany you to Sydney.

00:10:46.470 --> 00:10:47.980
He's been helping me all along.

00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:52.039
I think he tried to make me realize my own potential.

00:10:52.710 --> 00:10:53.110
Okay.

00:10:53.769 --> 00:11:00.000
So he encouraged me by, saying that he gonna join the competition with me, but he never left me alone.

00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:08.470
So since I got in every time when I need to doing trial, some experiment and all that, he always being there.

00:11:08.804 --> 00:11:12.215
Sometimes Le Cordon Bleu as well support me a lot.

00:11:12.705 --> 00:11:14.934
They gave me a space in their class.

00:11:15.445 --> 00:11:21.174
So my mentor, my lecturer teaching a class, and they always leave me a bench.

00:11:21.504 --> 00:11:21.875
Okay.

00:11:22.085 --> 00:11:24.855
During the class so that I can experiment my things.

00:11:25.044 --> 00:11:27.774
And Le Cordon Bleu always What product do you need?

00:11:28.024 --> 00:11:30.514
You just tell the lecturer and we order it for you.

00:11:31.014 --> 00:11:31.705
Oh my gosh,

00:11:31.924 --> 00:11:37.634
and they actually sponsored my flight tickets and hotel and everything.

00:11:37.674 --> 00:11:42.174
I'm very grateful for the schools because, I'm alumni.

00:11:42.934 --> 00:11:43.784
I'm not there.

00:11:43.845 --> 00:11:45.825
I'm not their clients anymore.

00:11:45.875 --> 00:11:50.875
Like I'm an ex client, but they still treat me like a family.

00:11:50.875 --> 00:11:52.245
Like you still look, quote, rumbler.

00:11:52.710 --> 00:12:00.549
So that's why I'm very proud to bring their names because as you can see, I get a lot of supports from them too.

00:12:00.889 --> 00:12:04.649
It's karma too, Gunawan, because you have you are a very special person.

00:12:04.649 --> 00:12:07.610
As I've told you before, just I interview a lot of chefs.

00:12:07.639 --> 00:12:13.740
I've been fortunate on the show to have just incredible people that really care, really give back to the community.

00:12:13.980 --> 00:12:16.289
They mentor, they do a lot of really great things.

00:12:16.289 --> 00:12:19.299
And you do that every time I talk to you, you're helping somebody.

00:12:19.554 --> 00:12:21.024
It's good to see it come back to you.

00:12:21.215 --> 00:12:21.745
Thank you.

00:12:22.075 --> 00:12:23.075
As we move on.

00:12:23.085 --> 00:12:30.394
So you're in Adelaide and you're working in a couple of different restaurants and you're doing a bunch of different things.

00:12:30.445 --> 00:12:35.955
I remember when we interviewed you're in Indonesia, now you're in Indonesia.

00:12:35.995 --> 00:12:38.985
Tell us how you got from Adelaide to Indonesia.

00:12:39.264 --> 00:12:39.625
All right.

00:12:39.985 --> 00:12:43.565
I think I need to go back towards the competition.

00:12:43.955 --> 00:12:46.644
I have a very interesting story about it.

00:12:47.495 --> 00:12:47.914
All right.

00:12:48.075 --> 00:12:48.434
Great.

00:12:48.524 --> 00:12:50.875
I was working in a polenta bar.

00:12:50.924 --> 00:12:52.615
It's more like an Italian restaurant.

00:12:52.735 --> 00:12:54.184
It's beautiful restaurants.

00:12:54.274 --> 00:13:05.105
I love the foods and since it's a family owned restaurants, I couldn't do my spectacular Pastry, that's what they call it something different.

00:13:05.434 --> 00:13:08.735
They wanted rusty dessert, Italian dessert and all that.

00:13:09.335 --> 00:13:16.705
When I get into this competition I need to work doubles four days so that I can get extra off there to practice, right?

00:13:19.004 --> 00:13:22.495
I guess during that time, I wasn't realize I'm in a comfort zone.

00:13:23.304 --> 00:13:24.995
So you get tired easily.

00:13:25.004 --> 00:13:26.034
You are not motivated.

00:13:26.715 --> 00:13:28.245
You're like, why am I doing this?

00:13:28.294 --> 00:13:31.934
It's so tiring and I'm not being productive at all during that time.

00:13:32.115 --> 00:13:37.955
I just felt like maybe I just get through this competition and that's all, I'm not gonna make impact in my life.

00:13:37.955 --> 00:13:41.049
I just sick of this, sometimes you get into that point.

00:13:41.149 --> 00:13:52.299
You just so get used to your normal daily life and suddenly you need to change that to push yourself to next limit, but you're just complaining and Oh, it's so tiring.

00:13:52.340 --> 00:13:53.850
I just want to go home and all that.

00:13:54.019 --> 00:13:58.029
One day, one of my seniors at work, I would say insulted me.

00:13:58.190 --> 00:14:01.190
With his words, and I was very furious.

00:14:01.250 --> 00:14:02.669
I'm not happy at all.

00:14:02.669 --> 00:14:06.799
I'm, I was like, Hey, people can be out there in life.

00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:07.649
We like a wheel.

00:14:07.940 --> 00:14:09.210
We can be out there.

00:14:09.210 --> 00:14:17.318
Sometimes we can be down there, but one day I will be up there and looking down at you, but I will never look down at you, but I will be up there.

00:14:18.419 --> 00:14:32.330
And I was so angry with him, but I guess that's like a slap to wake me up from my comfort zone, without realizing it the next day I went for practicing for my competition.

00:14:32.429 --> 00:14:34.240
I was become more productive.

00:14:35.195 --> 00:14:40.184
I was like, dude, in one day I can do three different desserts and it was all awesome.

00:14:40.304 --> 00:14:46.534
And I believe that anger become a source of energy to my motivation.

00:14:46.544 --> 00:14:48.225
It's I'm going to show you, dude.

00:14:48.294 --> 00:14:48.985
You know what I mean?

00:14:49.044 --> 00:14:50.095
I'm going to show you.

00:14:50.134 --> 00:14:50.985
I'm very angry.

00:14:50.985 --> 00:14:53.884
So this is what I want to share to listener.

00:14:54.254 --> 00:15:00.485
It's okay to get angry, but don't throw it to anyone else, but use that as a energy.

00:15:00.544 --> 00:15:03.745
And as a motivation, it's a positive motivation.

00:15:03.934 --> 00:15:08.945
It's good to have the anger, but it will improve you without you realizing it.

00:15:09.174 --> 00:15:12.355
When I'm angry, I want to prove that to that guy.

00:15:12.394 --> 00:15:16.504
At first, I was working so hard without realizing I'm working hard,

00:15:17.284 --> 00:15:17.565
right?

00:15:17.565 --> 00:15:27.134
Because we are in a anger state, but when, I get into, my result was good, and I got into the front page of the recipe book.

00:15:27.625 --> 00:15:29.205
I think it was amazing, right?

00:15:30.975 --> 00:15:35.254
And I won People's Choice Award for my part with the sugar dome.

00:15:36.125 --> 00:15:40.264
I bring back to work and show him, hey, I want to curse him at first.

00:15:40.264 --> 00:15:41.014
It changed.

00:15:41.154 --> 00:15:55.735
I actually said thank you instead of cursing him because it's like, if it wasn't because he insulted me, I would be in my comfort zone and I would give up or I would just let it be.

00:15:55.754 --> 00:15:57.875
I'm not going to make impact in my life.

00:15:58.335 --> 00:16:03.664
When I got my result, my anger went gone and I came to him and said, thank you.

00:16:03.664 --> 00:16:03.875
Wow.

00:16:03.875 --> 00:16:04.434
Wow.

00:16:05.524 --> 00:16:06.375
And he was surprised.

00:16:06.485 --> 00:16:07.684
Why do I say thank you for?

00:16:07.684 --> 00:16:10.414
I was like, look, I'm in the magazine and thank you.

00:16:10.684 --> 00:16:10.934
That's it.

00:16:11.384 --> 00:16:14.174
Yeah, that to me is very unique, right?

00:16:14.215 --> 00:16:16.075
I am very similar in that way.

00:16:16.144 --> 00:16:22.315
I noticed that about you right away when we interviewed, when we talked, when we collaborated it's a people side, right?

00:16:22.345 --> 00:16:23.404
That's very rare.

00:16:23.774 --> 00:16:28.414
In chefs and I work in technology now, I used, I studied to be a chef for 10 years.

00:16:28.414 --> 00:16:30.615
I worked in the business, but it's a people side.

00:16:30.615 --> 00:16:35.225
That's very rare for people to think outside of themselves, right?

00:16:35.375 --> 00:16:36.625
What's their motivation?

00:16:36.634 --> 00:16:37.664
Why are they frustrated?

00:16:37.684 --> 00:16:38.884
Why are they angry with you?

00:16:39.205 --> 00:16:40.715
Maybe they're just totally stressed out.

00:16:40.715 --> 00:16:42.085
Maybe somebody threw a plate at them.

00:16:42.365 --> 00:16:53.825
You don't really know what it is, but if you can pull back and just say, you know what, I'm going to help this person by being more relaxed about it, not getting angry, not confronting them.

00:16:54.684 --> 00:16:55.514
It works.

00:16:55.955 --> 00:16:56.934
And it really works.

00:16:56.945 --> 00:16:57.975
And some of them get it.

00:16:57.975 --> 00:17:04.714
And some of them don't, sometimes people just, they just want to be angry, but you and I are cup is half full.

00:17:05.255 --> 00:17:06.605
There's no question about it.

00:17:06.605 --> 00:17:10.505
We're not cup is half empty, meaning that we look at life in a positive way.

00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:15.079
We talk about Adelaide, but again, how did you get to Indonesia?

00:17:15.190 --> 00:17:18.609
How did you're, you built this amazing restaurant in Indonesia.

00:17:18.609 --> 00:17:21.650
You got to tell this story, you got to share this with everybody.

00:17:22.019 --> 00:17:27.250
In most of my articles in Australia, I always say that I was born and raised in Indonesia.

00:17:27.329 --> 00:17:28.490
It's always my hometown.

00:17:28.529 --> 00:17:30.049
It's always where I bought.

00:17:30.109 --> 00:17:30.789
I was born.

00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:33.430
It's always a home for me, even in Australia.

00:17:33.490 --> 00:17:39.109
I was thinking about Indonesia, it's a great country, good food, and families are here too.

00:17:39.250 --> 00:17:40.890
COVID changed everything as well.

00:17:40.940 --> 00:17:44.880
I was in a long distance relationship and it's really tough.

00:17:44.950 --> 00:17:45.250
Sure.

00:17:45.500 --> 00:17:56.089
When Australian government start to open up, I think it's easier for me to went back to Indonesia rather than my girlfriend back then came to Australia.

00:17:56.519 --> 00:18:10.434
At first, I was planning to come back for three months to check up, How is it going with Indonesian trend with the hospitality industries and all that and planning about my future with my wife now, right?

00:18:10.484 --> 00:18:12.035
We plan to get married.

00:18:12.085 --> 00:18:17.605
When I came back to Batam, it's a small city very close by from Singapore.

00:18:17.894 --> 00:18:20.615
It's 45 minutes by ferry from Singapore.

00:18:20.785 --> 00:18:21.365
Oh.

00:18:21.494 --> 00:18:25.714
And this island, you can see marina basins and all that.

00:18:26.045 --> 00:18:28.525
It's like swimming distance, like you can swim there.

00:18:28.525 --> 00:18:30.009
It's like It's so close.

00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:31.619
Oh my gosh.

00:18:31.900 --> 00:18:33.829
I've always wanted to go to Singapore.

00:18:33.849 --> 00:18:34.700
That's on my bucket list.

00:18:34.829 --> 00:18:34.980
If

00:18:34.980 --> 00:18:38.500
you come to Singapore, you can just take ferry to Batam.

00:18:38.900 --> 00:18:39.990
That's how close it is.

00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:42.835
You can come in the morning and leave in the evening.

00:18:43.105 --> 00:18:44.744
Late afternoon or evening.

00:18:45.704 --> 00:18:47.305
It's only 45 minutes, right?

00:18:47.404 --> 00:18:47.954
Wow.

00:18:48.065 --> 00:18:50.785
What surprised me is that it changed.

00:18:50.845 --> 00:18:55.234
I've been away from this city for 13 years, and I was blown away.

00:18:55.234 --> 00:18:58.654
It was like, wow, the F& B industry really striving.

00:18:58.865 --> 00:19:02.825
I guess because of the inflection of the tourists coming in every week.

00:19:03.404 --> 00:19:12.325
We get a lot of tourists from Malaysia and Singapore, and we got a big community of expats from everywhere in the world.

00:19:12.795 --> 00:19:18.815
Lebanese, American Australian, and everybody needs food.

00:19:19.075 --> 00:19:20.609
That's what the chef's for.

00:19:20.950 --> 00:19:21.339
Right.

00:19:21.880 --> 00:19:24.630
So I saw opportunity there.

00:19:24.670 --> 00:19:27.960
So my initial three months, it become two years now.

00:19:29.539 --> 00:19:57.779
So then it's struggle at first to, looking for places, business idea and all that struggle with different mindset, but I always believe in my way it's not being idly, but I saw opportunity what people don't see So in Indonesia, everybody's selling, like the noodles and all that, but I'm seeing like, there is I think a hundred more stores selling the same thing.

00:19:58.569 --> 00:20:03.720
Why don't I become the only one selling different things, right?

00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:08.299
Even though I'm not going to get the whole market, but I believe the niche will come.

00:20:08.789 --> 00:20:12.180
And, the other market will be like, Oh, I'm sick of this.

00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:13.920
You see how I see it?

00:20:14.970 --> 00:20:18.309
The businessman will say, Hey, this place is so packed with people.

00:20:18.509 --> 00:20:20.710
So let's start another business with the same model.

00:20:20.839 --> 00:20:21.809
But it's a customer.

00:20:21.809 --> 00:20:23.559
When I came, I have no choice.

00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:25.339
I only have that noodle.

00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:35.130
So I eat, but from the other perspective, people will say, Hey, that's a good business because people love eating noodles from the customer point of view.

00:20:35.130 --> 00:20:38.259
Like me, I eat this noodle because I have no choice.

00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:48.569
So I'm giving them Being the only different amongst the mainstream, then the locals start to be like, Hey, this is a different one.

00:20:48.809 --> 00:20:49.529
I want to try.

00:20:50.140 --> 00:20:51.670
Hey, they sell sourdough.

00:20:51.750 --> 00:20:53.150
Hey, they sell scrambled eggs.

00:20:53.160 --> 00:20:54.109
Hey, they sell pasta.

00:20:54.875 --> 00:20:55.734
Let's come and try.

00:20:56.365 --> 00:21:01.255
Can you believe that I expected without much customer for the first three months?

00:21:02.154 --> 00:21:02.775
I believe it.

00:21:02.914 --> 00:21:03.535
Absolutely.

00:21:03.755 --> 00:21:05.134
But they proved me wrong.

00:21:05.345 --> 00:21:13.069
The first three months we were hit with the busiest customers like Almost every day we are fully booked like

00:21:13.390 --> 00:21:13.759
full.

00:21:14.329 --> 00:21:15.289
That's incredible.

00:21:15.349 --> 00:21:16.690
Tell us why, right?

00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:20.019
I'm a young entrepreneur like you and I'm listening.

00:21:20.089 --> 00:21:23.880
I want to know some tips, some idea about how do you bring people in?

00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:27.769
I have already did my marketing before even I opened.

00:21:27.829 --> 00:21:30.400
I did my marketing since February.

00:21:30.569 --> 00:21:31.509
I opened in August.

00:21:31.789 --> 00:21:35.170
I did fine dining, collaborating with hotels.

00:21:35.515 --> 00:21:38.035
I went to Jakarta to do another fine dining.

00:21:38.045 --> 00:21:40.664
I went to Kuala Lumpur to do another fine dining.

00:21:40.964 --> 00:21:42.734
And I keep posting Gazoz.

00:21:43.295 --> 00:21:45.724
And people wasn't, people don't know what is Gazoz.

00:21:45.855 --> 00:21:46.474
What is that?

00:21:46.805 --> 00:21:47.625
But it looks cool.

00:21:47.684 --> 00:21:50.125
I remember because I've been watching you.

00:21:50.234 --> 00:21:52.904
I've been watching all the momentum from the beginning.

00:21:52.914 --> 00:21:54.474
And I was so excited for you.

00:21:54.815 --> 00:21:56.144
I was just so excited.

00:21:56.404 --> 00:21:57.394
It's really cool.

00:21:58.855 --> 00:22:01.464
And people been waiting like when Gazoz open.

00:22:01.785 --> 00:22:04.404
I was like, hey, yeah, people start waiting.

00:22:04.404 --> 00:22:05.724
But again.

00:22:06.230 --> 00:22:15.039
When we build the interior, the building and all that, there is some problems, it takes longer than I expected.

00:22:15.460 --> 00:22:27.710
I was promised for two months, but it happens like eight to nine months from, but again, I have to keep trying to fuel this Gazo's that's why every month.

00:22:28.180 --> 00:22:32.779
I need to plan to go somewhere to do my fine dining and all that.

00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:36.059
My wife wasn't really happy at first.

00:22:36.339 --> 00:22:41.400
Three weeks before our wedding day, I went to Kuala Lumpur to do fine dining.

00:22:41.490 --> 00:22:42.490
Oh, okay.

00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:45.089
Because I don't want people to forget about gazoz.

00:22:46.549 --> 00:22:49.730
Even we're not open yet, I want to fill it up.

00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:53.970
This exposure only last maybe two, three, four weeks.

00:22:54.369 --> 00:22:57.700
So you're gonna have to keep people, Hey, we're here, we're still alive.

00:22:57.779 --> 00:22:58.359
You know what I mean?

00:22:58.869 --> 00:22:59.799
I think it works.

00:23:00.029 --> 00:23:01.180
So when we open it, just

00:23:01.390 --> 00:23:01.740
boom.

00:23:02.190 --> 00:23:03.720
I was like, wow,

00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:04.740
wow,

00:23:05.029 --> 00:23:06.109
me in the kitchen.

00:23:06.329 --> 00:23:08.819
Can you believe as the executive chefs?

00:23:09.130 --> 00:23:09.609
I couldn't.

00:23:10.144 --> 00:23:11.065
Be in the kitchen.

00:23:11.234 --> 00:23:12.984
Can you believe that I'm in the kitchen?

00:23:13.335 --> 00:23:15.144
I was doing the pass and all that.

00:23:15.904 --> 00:23:21.035
My, my stuff from the front of house will knock the door and chef, someone wants to see you.

00:23:21.184 --> 00:23:22.694
Chef wants someone wants to see you.

00:23:22.865 --> 00:23:23.214
Right.

00:23:23.255 --> 00:23:23.964
Of course.

00:23:24.055 --> 00:23:25.144
Of course you're a celebrity.

00:23:25.144 --> 00:23:25.694
Yeah.

00:23:25.914 --> 00:23:27.944
And I went up and say hello to everybody.

00:23:27.944 --> 00:23:39.035
I was so happy to see everybody, but I just couldn't step into the kitchen anymore every now and then I will go into the kitchen for a few hours to check, call the chair.

00:23:39.549 --> 00:23:41.220
No, this is not the way guys.

00:23:41.694 --> 00:23:44.305
No matter what you do before, I don't care.

00:23:44.775 --> 00:23:45.944
Can you do my standard?

00:23:46.404 --> 00:23:47.815
Can you do this?

00:23:47.815 --> 00:23:49.755
Because this is guys, us, right?

00:23:50.015 --> 00:23:52.904
I never say someone's method is right or wrong.

00:23:53.845 --> 00:23:55.984
If this is guys, us, this is guys, us way.

00:23:56.095 --> 00:23:57.954
So I keep training.

00:23:58.174 --> 00:24:11.835
I wouldn't say it's funny, but I think most proud moment is that I'm getting students like for students working in the kitchen, it runs my students.

00:24:12.335 --> 00:24:13.724
And me, right?

00:24:13.825 --> 00:24:14.494
Wow.

00:24:14.674 --> 00:24:17.404
And the first two weeks, it went flawless.

00:24:17.855 --> 00:24:18.494
Wow.

00:24:18.545 --> 00:24:19.434
No problem.

00:24:20.565 --> 00:24:24.974
Came out the longest for 22 minutes, but that's maybe one or two.

00:24:25.714 --> 00:24:30.525
Most of the time, they put out by 15 minutes or less by students.

00:24:30.535 --> 00:24:32.365
And I was like, I'm so proud of them.

00:24:32.414 --> 00:24:33.305
That's really good.

00:24:34.755 --> 00:24:42.404
But mind you though, we already hired them a month before we even opened and we've been training everybody before anything happened.

00:24:42.454 --> 00:24:43.375
That's the way to do it.

00:24:44.194 --> 00:24:48.474
You gotta have training because you have that one opportunity to make an impression.

00:24:48.684 --> 00:24:53.855
And if it's a bad impression, it goes the opposite direction, but it turned out to be a good impression.

00:24:53.865 --> 00:24:55.644
So you've been very successful.

00:24:55.664 --> 00:24:57.595
This is Gazos number one.

00:24:57.615 --> 00:24:59.295
What's happening next?

00:24:59.595 --> 00:25:00.305
Drum roll.

00:25:00.464 --> 00:25:02.585
What inspired me for the second one?

00:25:03.785 --> 00:25:04.384
Had to do it.

00:25:04.565 --> 00:25:06.434
Big success on the first one, right?

00:25:06.494 --> 00:25:08.285
But then I'm a rebel.

00:25:08.384 --> 00:25:09.434
I like to break the rules.

00:25:10.055 --> 00:25:10.535
I love it.

00:25:10.585 --> 00:25:11.775
I like to be who I am.

00:25:11.845 --> 00:25:15.785
So when I started this concept, I'm not going to be mainstream.

00:25:15.815 --> 00:25:20.005
Some people might do a Western theme restaurants or cafe.

00:25:20.095 --> 00:25:21.724
They would still localize.

00:25:21.884 --> 00:25:25.474
They would still do Indonesian taste to suit every market.

00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:37.170
The concept is still have rice, chili sauce, and all that, but it's become a controversy controversial here where I'm not even eating any rice.

00:25:37.509 --> 00:25:48.279
I don't have rice in my menu, which is not common because people hear Oh, I'm not full when I'm not eating rice, something like that, it's the mindset because they're used to it.

00:25:48.309 --> 00:25:50.269
Everywhere they go, there will be rice,

00:25:50.329 --> 00:25:50.650
right?

00:25:50.650 --> 00:25:50.779
Yeah.

00:25:50.779 --> 00:25:50.795
That's it.

00:25:51.025 --> 00:25:51.555
I get it.

00:25:52.194 --> 00:25:55.214
I want to start revolutionize something different.

00:25:55.384 --> 00:25:56.115
I'm just being me.

00:25:56.494 --> 00:25:56.884
Nope.

00:25:57.285 --> 00:25:59.755
But again, just being different people, just not used to it.

00:26:00.035 --> 00:26:00.904
So it takes time.

00:26:00.934 --> 00:26:09.214
But I was very grateful that many supporters, a lot of locals that been study outside, they miss this concept.

00:26:09.884 --> 00:26:14.724
They've been studying in Melbourne, they've been studying in Sydney and they're like, dude, I miss this kind of food.

00:26:15.309 --> 00:26:21.849
So I always see the same face every week and I think I'm in the right path, I did the right thing.

00:26:21.930 --> 00:26:26.609
People love this and every week I'll be full with tourists.

00:26:26.740 --> 00:26:28.809
I would say I become destination.

00:26:28.930 --> 00:26:33.809
People start to take in America, maybe you say Uber, but in here we have another.

00:26:34.115 --> 00:26:36.394
Platform called Gojek and Grab.

00:26:36.595 --> 00:26:40.755
So people just start Ubering coming in from nowhere.

00:26:40.865 --> 00:26:44.615
I was like, I'm, as you can see, I'm hidden.

00:26:44.855 --> 00:26:45.734
I'm hidden nowhere.

00:26:45.775 --> 00:26:47.315
I would say it's like a hidden gem.

00:26:47.825 --> 00:26:49.835
They have to make an effort to get there.

00:26:49.964 --> 00:26:55.015
And I was surprised within the first month people start coming with Uber and taxi already.

00:26:55.355 --> 00:26:58.105
So it means people already know about it.

00:26:58.450 --> 00:26:59.279
That's awesome.

00:26:59.890 --> 00:27:06.130
And in Google review we had 229 review and accumulate a 4.

00:27:06.180 --> 00:27:06.930
9 star.

00:27:06.930 --> 00:27:07.549
Wow.

00:27:07.609 --> 00:27:08.619
That's impressive.

00:27:08.859 --> 00:27:10.569
I think I'm very happy.

00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:16.460
And it talks a lot about the chefs, which is me, because I talk with them a lot.

00:27:16.509 --> 00:27:18.559
I came to give personal service.

00:27:18.619 --> 00:27:28.579
Now we have to go back to that because if you haven't listened to the episode that we're talking about, the thing that's unique is I remember this and it resonated with me.

00:27:29.009 --> 00:27:34.019
You worked in the front of the house and you studied to be a chef and you.

00:27:34.464 --> 00:27:43.535
You love the concept of hospitality and most people in the industry do, but you live it and because you live it, you connect.

00:27:43.644 --> 00:27:45.115
That's the reason it's.

00:27:45.615 --> 00:27:48.265
They want to see you because they want to connect with you.

00:27:48.384 --> 00:27:49.474
I want to connect with you.

00:27:49.934 --> 00:27:52.484
It was just this amazing thing that happened.

00:27:52.484 --> 00:27:59.125
And it's that's it part of it and your passion for food and what you can create when you combine all of it, it's successful.

00:27:59.214 --> 00:28:00.095
That's how I see it.

00:28:00.375 --> 00:28:02.894
And I think that people that listen, we'll feel that way too.

00:28:03.484 --> 00:28:12.115
I think that's the best satisfaction that I could get from they love the concept, they love the food and they appreciate what you do,

00:28:12.474 --> 00:28:12.744
right?

00:28:12.744 --> 00:28:12.805
Yeah.

00:28:13.269 --> 00:28:15.349
And that's what makes me want to do more.

00:28:15.829 --> 00:28:18.180
That's what makes me want to be better.

00:28:18.670 --> 00:28:32.680
than today, by seeing how happy they are with the food, how they appreciate my effort, how they appreciate my passion, and it's just wow, this is a fuel for my motivation, and that's what we live for as a chef, right?

00:28:33.069 --> 00:28:39.980
When you see someone clean your plate and they loved it, they lick your plate, and man, I have to do more for this guy.

00:28:40.599 --> 00:28:50.200
And what different approach I do here, maybe I can share to people all around the world, people might not agree with how I do it.

00:28:50.494 --> 00:28:54.204
Listen, I give a lot of complimentary.

00:28:54.954 --> 00:28:58.394
It's important to do that because people will come back for that reason.

00:28:58.434 --> 00:29:00.805
And they'll tell 10 or 20 people.

00:29:01.075 --> 00:29:12.684
I think my stuff was like, this is the only place that I see the owner will come to talk to customers, we serve the customer and we'll give complimentary is like a lot of complimentary.

00:29:13.265 --> 00:29:14.835
And I always make a standard.

00:29:15.765 --> 00:29:17.855
If the food wasn't out by 15 minutes.

00:29:18.329 --> 00:29:19.599
You need to give them snacks.

00:29:19.849 --> 00:29:21.799
If the food is slow, you're gonna have to give them

00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:21.890
snacks.

00:29:21.890 --> 00:29:22.289
Oh, that's great.

00:29:23.329 --> 00:29:26.200
When people munching, they forget about the time, right?

00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:27.390
I couldn't talk to them.

00:29:27.430 --> 00:29:31.480
If I could talk to one table, it would take half an hour to 45 minutes.

00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:32.490
How about the other table?

00:29:32.650 --> 00:29:33.009
Yeah.

00:29:33.619 --> 00:29:36.839
When we talk to customers, they forget about the time.

00:29:37.470 --> 00:29:38.710
And then suddenly the food is out.

00:29:39.079 --> 00:29:40.779
I'm not gonna blame my kitchen.

00:29:41.164 --> 00:29:45.174
It's not about being slow or whatever, we just get hit, we just being busy.

00:29:46.005 --> 00:29:59.565
I tried to understand their position, so I came up with the idea, okay, when the food is not out by 15 minutes, it's gonna be a standard, ask for a potato chips from kitchen, complimentary on the house, enjoy the potato chips, and it works.

00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:02.599
People never complain the food is long.

00:30:02.950 --> 00:30:04.509
So there's two more things.

00:30:04.630 --> 00:30:08.210
And then we're going to wrap up the first is what's next.

00:30:08.210 --> 00:30:11.799
You've got another restaurant in the works and we can talk about that.

00:30:11.849 --> 00:30:22.940
Remember the first month when I opened, people have been questioned about where's the rice, where's the chili sauce, going to give it to them, but not on my first one.

00:30:23.069 --> 00:30:24.779
Oh, okay.

00:30:25.160 --> 00:30:25.640
Okay.

00:30:26.589 --> 00:30:27.609
If you lock my brain.

00:30:28.005 --> 00:30:29.605
You will love what I'm doing, right?

00:30:29.825 --> 00:30:31.575
So now, I hear you.

00:30:32.505 --> 00:30:33.305
You want rice?

00:30:33.464 --> 00:30:34.325
You want chili sauce?

00:30:34.454 --> 00:30:40.285
I make it for you on my new venture with a special menu.

00:30:40.894 --> 00:30:42.265
It's not gonna be a mainstream menu.

00:30:42.494 --> 00:30:44.615
I will make different kind of satay.

00:30:45.079 --> 00:30:54.339
Different kind of Indonesian food, but it's going to be my way of plating my flavors and yeah, it's going to be a little bit different.

00:30:54.539 --> 00:30:55.400
See, I

00:30:55.400 --> 00:30:56.089
know you are.

00:30:56.329 --> 00:30:57.210
That's the magic.

00:30:57.259 --> 00:31:01.819
That's the advice that you can impart to people that are listening is you've got to listen.

00:31:01.839 --> 00:31:02.890
You've got to connect.

00:31:02.930 --> 00:31:04.170
Many restaurants fail.

00:31:04.539 --> 00:31:06.380
95 percent of restaurants fail.

00:31:06.490 --> 00:31:08.049
There was a number a long time ago.

00:31:08.059 --> 00:31:09.160
It's probably different now.

00:31:09.410 --> 00:31:11.130
It's probably worse because the pandemic.

00:31:11.325 --> 00:31:13.414
But the secret is to connect.

00:31:13.515 --> 00:31:17.555
The secret is to provide something that people don't expect.

00:31:17.644 --> 00:31:20.545
And they come back for that and they tell everybody about it.

00:31:20.704 --> 00:31:26.305
And that's really, when I went to school and I got my bachelor's, it was hotel restaurant administration.

00:31:26.315 --> 00:31:31.134
We had this amazing guy that we called the coach and the coach was in fast food, right?

00:31:31.134 --> 00:31:33.884
He was the president of Taco Bell or something like that.

00:31:33.944 --> 00:31:37.025
But we, his name was Don Smith and he's very famous in the U S.

00:31:37.420 --> 00:31:41.069
And he taught at the school that I went to, Washington State University.

00:31:41.109 --> 00:31:48.640
What was amazing is he found a way to get students to come in, not at eight o'clock in the morning, not at nine o'clock in the morning, at 6 a.

00:31:48.640 --> 00:31:48.980
m.

00:31:49.019 --> 00:31:50.619
Just to hear him speak.

00:31:50.670 --> 00:31:52.740
And he said, actually, it was 6 a.

00:31:52.740 --> 00:31:53.049
m.

00:31:53.079 --> 00:31:57.710
He would go running with the students, anyone that wanted to come, he would go running with them at 6 a.

00:31:57.710 --> 00:31:58.009
m.

00:31:58.069 --> 00:32:01.359
Now you're in college, you're out partying, you're going to get up at 6 a.

00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:01.529
m.

00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:02.460
Students did.

00:32:02.484 --> 00:32:06.085
And if you're in class at 7 15, he always had a surprise.

00:32:06.125 --> 00:32:08.244
I was in class at 7 15 AM.

00:32:08.414 --> 00:32:12.894
Every class was in the front row and he was amazing and inspirational.

00:32:12.964 --> 00:32:15.894
And that's what he taught was do something.

00:32:15.934 --> 00:32:20.634
That's going to blow them away, do something that they would never expect, and they will remember you forever.

00:32:20.674 --> 00:32:22.244
They will be loyal forever.

00:32:22.295 --> 00:32:24.095
And that's what you have created.

00:32:24.095 --> 00:32:24.644
My friend.

00:32:24.730 --> 00:32:34.950
There's no question in my mind, the way you talk, your philosophy, your training, your hospitality background, the way you blend front of the house and the back of the house is so rare.

00:32:34.950 --> 00:32:36.769
There are very few people that do that.

00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:38.430
That's what makes you unique.

00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:43.240
And that's why I think if you're anywhere near Gazos, you have to go there and experience it.

00:32:43.269 --> 00:32:47.650
So now you had somebody very special come visit you and work with you.

00:32:47.720 --> 00:32:48.779
And it was your mentor.

00:32:48.829 --> 00:32:50.519
Do you want to share a little bit about him?

00:32:51.464 --> 00:32:51.785
All right.

00:32:51.815 --> 00:32:57.575
This is one of my mentors, I would say, because I've been mentored by many chefs out there many people.

00:32:57.884 --> 00:33:03.765
I think you might get confused with my first mentor that I talked about during my competition.

00:33:04.045 --> 00:33:05.275
That's my lecturer

00:33:05.825 --> 00:33:05.845
in

00:33:05.845 --> 00:33:06.265
the Cordon Bleu.

00:33:06.744 --> 00:33:08.404
This is my Italian mentor.

00:33:08.404 --> 00:33:09.805
I think that's how we separate them.

00:33:09.815 --> 00:33:10.755
That's who I'm thinking

00:33:10.755 --> 00:33:11.265
of, yep.

00:33:12.214 --> 00:33:13.515
This is my Italian mentor.

00:33:13.545 --> 00:33:15.115
His name is Mauro Gulli.

00:33:15.115 --> 00:33:17.994
I've been working with him in 2014.

00:33:17.994 --> 00:33:18.684
Yep.

00:33:19.234 --> 00:33:20.714
But I met him 2013.

00:33:21.164 --> 00:33:26.625
I was Volunteering, working for free and trying to find experience and all that.

00:33:26.674 --> 00:33:28.115
I met him during that time.

00:33:28.184 --> 00:33:30.835
He invited me to his restaurant and eat his food.

00:33:30.904 --> 00:33:34.105
2014 I was employed in the same place where he works.

00:33:34.295 --> 00:33:35.734
So I was under him.

00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:45.420
For a few months, but it was very impactful as I was a very young student still learning I will not be working as fast as everyone else.

00:33:45.470 --> 00:33:49.950
I knew that i'm not used to some so then He kept telling me.

00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:53.740
Hey, you're working slower than the other lady or something me.

00:33:53.779 --> 00:33:56.539
I'm having ego I want always to be the best right?

00:33:56.559 --> 00:33:57.859
I want to improve myself.

00:33:57.890 --> 00:34:20.364
So what changed my life is actually The timer he actually put timer in front of me and I would beat myself every week So every time I do the same thing within certain time, let's say this week I was on 15 minutes next week I will beat it 14 or 13 minutes and it keep improving And I think that's moved him as well.

00:34:20.635 --> 00:34:22.934
It changed because not many people want to do that.

00:34:23.114 --> 00:34:26.905
People always give excuses like, Hey Mara, I can only do it like this.

00:34:27.054 --> 00:34:27.945
I can't push more.

00:34:28.034 --> 00:34:28.844
I'm just working.

00:34:28.925 --> 00:34:31.125
What he sees from me that I want to improve.

00:34:31.164 --> 00:34:37.375
I never seen such mentor where he asked question for me as well, because he knew I was an apprenticeship students.

00:34:37.715 --> 00:34:42.045
Then he asked me, Hey, what happens to my chocolate?

00:34:42.054 --> 00:34:44.164
My chocolate wasn't set properly and all that.

00:34:44.184 --> 00:34:45.934
I was like, Where do you keep it?

00:34:45.934 --> 00:34:49.525
Because during summer, we heat 44 degrees in Adelaide.

00:34:49.695 --> 00:34:51.585
He will keep his chocolate in the fridge.

00:34:51.614 --> 00:34:53.565
Fontaine's, I would say I was freaked out.

00:34:53.565 --> 00:34:55.905
He's no, you never keep chocolate in the fridge.

00:34:56.135 --> 00:34:59.025
Shit, I'm gonna lose my job because I just told him.

00:34:59.065 --> 00:34:59.454
Panic,

00:34:59.454 --> 00:34:59.835
yeah.

00:35:00.809 --> 00:35:03.079
Maybe next week he's not going to call me back to work.

00:35:04.329 --> 00:35:05.030
But you know what?

00:35:05.309 --> 00:35:06.760
I still have my schedule.

00:35:06.929 --> 00:35:10.480
I still came on time and I worked with him and he came to me.

00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:13.460
I listened to you and my chocolate now it's good.

00:35:13.670 --> 00:35:14.230
Wow.

00:35:14.230 --> 00:35:14.739
Oh yeah.

00:35:14.800 --> 00:35:15.099
Good.

00:35:15.489 --> 00:35:17.860
And he came to me and say, Hey, I want to learn.

00:35:19.940 --> 00:35:23.539
I was just like you are my head chef and you want to learn chocolate from me?

00:35:23.719 --> 00:35:28.630
That makes us work very motivated I never take my break.

00:35:28.730 --> 00:35:32.360
I will work faster, so I have time to teach him how to make chocolates.

00:35:34.014 --> 00:35:36.625
When our boss passed by, I was like, you guys never eat?

00:35:36.795 --> 00:35:39.315
I was like, no, we're so excited to do this chocolate.

00:35:40.085 --> 00:35:43.704
And Mauro would be very excited to learn something new.

00:35:43.735 --> 00:35:45.594
And I'm just like, I was a student.

00:35:45.965 --> 00:35:47.945
I haven't even finished my schools yet.

00:35:48.324 --> 00:35:49.764
He wanted to learn from me.

00:35:50.114 --> 00:35:52.135
And I was like, wow, what a mentor.

00:35:52.135 --> 00:35:57.184
And that inspired me to learn whatever Italian cuisine that he's going to teach.

00:35:57.244 --> 00:35:59.065
And that's what made Gattuso today.

00:35:59.514 --> 00:36:01.954
My food was inspired by him too.

00:36:02.255 --> 00:36:05.144
A lot of the sauces and all that is being thought by him.

00:36:05.425 --> 00:36:22.284
And when the first time I opened Gazoz, I think the fourth day, he flew from Spain to Singapore and take ferry to Batam and he take taxi into Gazoz and, all my staff and my manager was like hey, there's someone come with taxi.

00:36:22.284 --> 00:36:24.295
We're so excited because we just opened.

00:36:24.775 --> 00:36:25.905
Who would come with pets?

00:36:27.744 --> 00:36:29.505
That's gonna be a tourist or something.

00:36:29.505 --> 00:36:33.596
But we just opened for 4 days and people already know about us.

00:36:33.596 --> 00:36:35.815
Then they're like, hey chef, chef, go and greet them.

00:36:35.815 --> 00:36:37.135
And I was like wait a second.

00:36:37.135 --> 00:36:38.579
That's Maro.

00:36:39.045 --> 00:36:39.914
That's so awesome.

00:36:40.965 --> 00:36:43.364
And I just ran out and I just hugged him.

00:36:43.655 --> 00:36:45.264
He came and tried my food.

00:36:45.684 --> 00:36:51.735
And he said Yosugo is good and I was like, that's your, the one that you taught me is this is really good.

00:36:51.755 --> 00:36:54.894
And his wife was like saying, this is as good as Mauro's.

00:36:55.494 --> 00:36:58.184
I was like, wow, I'm glad that I passed.

00:36:59.105 --> 00:37:02.525
And the wife said, can you sell us a liter or two liters of this?

00:37:02.534 --> 00:37:02.875
Oh my

00:37:02.875 --> 00:37:03.335
gosh.

00:37:03.335 --> 00:37:04.315
No, that's so great.

00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:09.300
So that Mauro doesn't have to do it, we just buy it from you here, because this is as good as his.

00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:11.760
I was like, oh my god, I was so happy.

00:37:14.070 --> 00:37:14.590
Yeah.

00:37:14.760 --> 00:37:16.079
How much time did he spend with you?

00:37:16.099 --> 00:37:18.550
Because didn't he spend a little bit of time at the restaurant?

00:37:19.059 --> 00:37:21.239
The first time he only came for two

00:37:21.710 --> 00:37:21.949
days.

00:37:22.364 --> 00:37:42.010
It was a very short trip and I wasn't be able to Hang around with him a lot because I had my fine dining event at night second month or third month He would come again and I asked him to teach my How to make ravioli, how to make a proper gnocchi and all that.

00:37:42.449 --> 00:37:48.239
I think it's just a new experience for the staff to see different mentor.

00:37:48.389 --> 00:37:53.190
It's like their mentors, they get it from the grandfather.

00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:57.460
It's if I'm their father, yeah, they get it right from the grandfather.

00:37:57.679 --> 00:37:59.400
And they're so excited.

00:37:59.400 --> 00:38:00.250
They're very happy.

00:38:00.250 --> 00:38:02.590
They get different experience while working with.

00:38:02.590 --> 00:38:03.460
That's so cool.

00:38:03.829 --> 00:38:05.449
One or two more questions and we'll wrap up.

00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:10.789
But if Carrie and I were to come visit, where would you take us around your area?

00:38:10.800 --> 00:38:14.460
If you, if it wasn't Singapore, where would you take us nearby?

00:38:14.679 --> 00:38:17.789
What would we do besides eat the amazing food in your restaurant?

00:38:19.039 --> 00:38:28.809
They, I think they have few adventure, adventure park, paymo, Archeries, four wheel drive, go karts, few resorts few seafood.

00:38:28.869 --> 00:38:31.230
We are very famous with seafood in this city.

00:38:31.239 --> 00:38:31.250
Oh,

00:38:31.250 --> 00:38:32.050
wow.

00:38:33.320 --> 00:38:37.289
And it's cheap, too, because we are Akibelago, it's an island.

00:38:37.480 --> 00:38:40.000
Our seafood is very cheap and delicious.

00:38:40.059 --> 00:38:40.550
Wow.

00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:45.460
There's a lot of local food that I would bring you and carry you to.

00:38:46.380 --> 00:38:46.789
Okay.

00:38:46.900 --> 00:38:47.989
Any last words?

00:38:47.989 --> 00:38:49.440
Any final message?

00:38:49.440 --> 00:38:51.409
Anything you want to share with the world?

00:38:52.449 --> 00:38:56.860
Investing in a restaurant, we need to invest in our staff.

00:38:57.219 --> 00:39:05.050
That's what my personal thought by showing them and teaching them without worrying that they will leave, right?

00:39:05.579 --> 00:39:10.579
You actually will maintain your standard quality and consistency.

00:39:11.539 --> 00:39:18.929
If you are scared of them leaving and you're not gonna teach them anything, then you will work yourself to death.

00:39:19.300 --> 00:39:21.590
You just need to be standby there every day.

00:39:21.590 --> 00:39:24.750
You need to be there to check on everything.

00:39:26.530 --> 00:39:34.349
But if you're actually investing in yourself, you Fully support, train them as the best as you can.

00:39:34.610 --> 00:39:37.150
And I'm teaching internationally.

00:39:37.210 --> 00:39:38.789
People pay me for it, right?

00:39:39.909 --> 00:39:43.920
People pay me 200 bucks an hour to teach privately.

00:39:46.719 --> 00:39:48.670
The good things is working with me.

00:39:48.679 --> 00:39:53.070
I think the perk working with me, I'll train you for free and I still pay you.

00:39:53.570 --> 00:39:55.449
You get paid and learn something.

00:39:55.960 --> 00:39:56.130
Yes.

00:39:56.460 --> 00:39:57.650
Working at Gazo's.

00:39:57.679 --> 00:39:58.519
Yeah, for sure.

00:39:59.054 --> 00:40:01.724
And a lot of people was like, you don't keep any secret.

00:40:01.795 --> 00:40:03.375
No, I put everything in the book.

00:40:03.695 --> 00:40:04.344
You can just read it.

00:40:04.864 --> 00:40:10.094
I have my standard recipe because I want the customer to enjoy my food.

00:40:11.155 --> 00:40:14.835
Without me, they still continuing my legacy, right?

00:40:15.454 --> 00:40:18.505
So I want everybody to be me in here, in Gazoz.

00:40:19.164 --> 00:40:21.425
In the kitchen, I want everybody to be me.

00:40:21.875 --> 00:40:22.125
That's fantastic.

00:40:23.594 --> 00:40:29.704
But obviously I always encourage them to come up with something new because I want to be as a team.

00:40:30.465 --> 00:40:33.014
I want the menu show Gazoz.

00:40:33.045 --> 00:40:34.034
This is Gazoz team.

00:40:34.494 --> 00:40:37.644
So when I first training, you follow what I do.

00:40:38.875 --> 00:40:45.655
When you get hang around with it, I say, Hey, I want to know what potential, what's your potential, what you're good at.

00:40:45.934 --> 00:40:46.885
Come up with the menu.

00:40:47.644 --> 00:40:52.175
Let's improve it and I will sell it, it's not all about me, but it's all about guys.

00:40:52.605 --> 00:40:53.005
Okay.

00:40:53.155 --> 00:40:55.244
Gunawan, I can't thank you enough for doing this.

00:40:55.244 --> 00:40:58.585
We've been back and forth trying to figure out when this was going to happen.

00:40:58.594 --> 00:41:00.684
And I was really excited about it.

00:41:00.715 --> 00:41:04.425
And I know you were too, and it's been so much fun.

00:41:04.454 --> 00:41:06.434
And thanks for being a guest in the past.

00:41:06.474 --> 00:41:11.394
Thanks for being a guest today and helping me kick off our YouTube channel.

00:41:11.585 --> 00:41:13.454
So I'm just really honored.

00:41:13.815 --> 00:41:17.684
For you being part of Voice for Chefs, and I hope we continue to do this in the future.

00:41:17.784 --> 00:41:18.844
Thank you so much.

00:41:19.925 --> 00:41:21.844
Thank you so much, Michael, for having me.

00:41:21.875 --> 00:41:26.454
I think it's really great opportunity for me to share what's my story.

00:41:26.505 --> 00:41:28.344
Hopefully it's become an inspiration.

00:41:28.425 --> 00:41:28.994
Yeah.

00:41:29.164 --> 00:41:36.139
Why I love to share this because I always get inspired by someone's story, and I want to share my stories too.

00:41:36.250 --> 00:41:37.909
Hopefully it will inspire people.

00:41:38.369 --> 00:41:43.000
Because my biggest goal is to get inspired by people who I inspire.