Chef Wan or Redzuawan bin Ismail was born in Singapore 1958 and is the eldest in a family of seven. His family then moved to Sungai Koyan in Raub, Pahang in the early 1970s, where his father was assigned in the Malaysian Air force. “Living in the army camp, I started selling kueh for extra cash and helped with the cooking weddings in the camp,” he says. “I've always loved food for as long as I can remember.”
However, Chef Wan's career didn't start in the food industry. Surprisingly, he wanted to become an accountant. “I worked in a bank for seven years before venturing into the culinary world.” He obtained an Associate Degree in Professional Chef Training and Hotel Management at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, and things went uphill from then on.
As a food ambassador of Malaysia, Chef Wan has, over the last 18 years, represented the country in various expose and tourism exhibitions around the world. His extensive knowledge on Malaysian cuisine has spawned a list of cookbooks and has made him the country’s representative at food fairs and shows all over the globe. Today, Chef Wan is the Resident Chef at the Hong Kong Asia’s first and only channel dedicated to food. His show is seen on cable in many countries throughout Asia.
This self-proclaimed disciplinarian has also acted in more than 10 movies and four theatre plays. Currently, he has his hands full hosting his own prime time talk show with the new Channel 9 called Usik-usik Chef Wan, a show that will test his skills in dealing with human emotions. The talk show is taped live before audiences of 200 and is the biggest talk show ever recorded in Malaysia. Come June, several of his show will be aired, among of them From Castle to Castle that was shot in Italy and Scandinavia, as well as Island Paradise, where he will demonstrate his cooking skills on 13 breathtaking islands around the world. He has also been invited to the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi to presents Malaysia’s palace cuisine.
Although he gains adoring fans everywhere he goes, “Life without family is not complete” for him. Though he is divorced, his ex-wife lives “just around the corner” and “she is a good mother to the children.” Keeping things friendly between them ensure that his children, all grown up now, know the importance of family. “I always tell my children to respect others and to understand themselves and portray to the world who they really are,” he explains. “Both my children are now celebrities and they need to know how to carry themselves.” Chef Wan has also instilled in his children that money is not the key of happiness, and their heart must always be bigger than their pockets. “In the celebrity world, if you play your cards right, you’ll be safe,” he adds.
“I really think that in life there has to be a balance-you work hard, you play hard. Don’t forget to go on holidays and have dinner with friends,” he says about things that keep him going. “I spend a lot of time outside the country, so I treat my work like one big holiday-it is always interesting to discover other people’s culture.” Living his life to the fullest and without regrets, the ever-active, bubby Chef Wan ends interview with: “Food makes the world a better place!” Enough said.
IF YOU PLAY YOUR CARDS
RIGHT, YOU'LL BE SAFE"