The Cheerful Chili Chef at Waterfront Mactan

Amidst a group of hoteliers gathered in the boardroom of the Waterfront Airport Hotel & Casino Mactan, Chef Uyung Al Wazir stands out not because of the noticeably towering chef’s hat, nor the distinctive double-breasted chef’s uniform, but rather because of his cheerfully sincere smile and his warm, lighthearted aura.

Indeed the friendliest and most pleasant chef to grace Cebu’s culinary world, Uyung Al Wazir has a grin for everyone and everything – from the recipe in his hand to the faces of his audience.  Engage him in a conversation on topics he’s passionate about – food (of course!), his eleven-year-old daughter Juliana Gaby Vanessa, or his childhood days spent in the kitchen with his mom – and those kind eyes light up with enthusiasm like the fire on a flambéed dish.

Chef Uyung’s naturally amiable ways completely erase the notion that it’s innate for chefs to have questionable attitudes.  And as one gets to know this 37-year-old Libran, it’s not difficult to understand why he’s easily a favorite among his peers and associates.  Like a child at play where each experience is fresh and met with wide-eyed gazes, Chef Uyung’s enthusiasm for cooking is just as clear and as passionate.

Q:  When did you realize you wanted to become a chef?  How did your interest in the field begin?

It began when I worked as a cook back in 1992 in Jakarta.

Q:  Who inspired you the most as a young cook?

I was inspired by The Stage’s Executive Chef Dimas Arinegara who opened my eyes to wonders that cooking can bring.  He taught me to not only see the opportunities, but the content and satisfaction cooking well can give you.

Q:  What is the best part about being a chef?

The best part about being a chef is when I see an empty plate from one of my customers because it means he/she liked my food.

Q:  If you weren’t a chef, what other profession do you see yourself in?

When I was very young, my mother had a canteen and I would imagine approaching the customers and helping them with their orders.  Maybe I am really meant to be close to food because I never saw myself as an office kind of person.

Q:  What was your first job as a professional cook and what was that like?

I was a Helper Cook at The Stage Restaurant and Bar in Jakarta.  We served Greek cuisine and it was in this restaurant where I discovered my passion for cooking.  My primary task was to cut and slice vegetables, meat and fish, and to mix the sauces.  After a few weeks, I would be very happy if my co-worker or my senior would be absent because then the Executive Chef would give me an extra task.  The first meal that I ever cooked for a customer was moussakas, and when I saw that he liked what I had prepared, I immediately wanted to cook more and more.

Q:  When cooking at home, what do you like to cook for yourself?

Roasted eel with steamed chili paste and raw vegetables like cabbage, cucumber and tomato.  It’s a native dish from my hometown in Western Sumatra.

Q:  What is your favorite kind of cuisine?

I have two favorites: Indonesian and Italian.

Q:  Do you have a memorable kitchen incident to share with us?

Yes, a painful one.  I got burned in the face a few years ago.  A co-worker was helping me light the salamander but we noticed that the gun flame was defective.  While we were waiting for it to be repaired, we accidentally forgot to switch off the gas.  Once the gun flame was ready to use, I went straight to the salamander to light it up.  I recall a big flame hitting my face and remember my boss rushing me to the hospital.  Three days later, my face was all black.  I had to avoid meeting people for at least a month.

Q:  That sounds awfully painful.  Gladly there aren’t any obvious scars.  What are your favorite cooking gadgets?

Knives.

Q:  What is your favorite spice to cook with and why?

CHILI!  Chili is a must on my food because it can make a dish more interesting, and accomplishing this is a welcome challenge.

Q:  What is your signature dish or your favorite recipe?

Definitely beef rendang.  It is stewed beef in ground spice and coconut milk.  Preparing it requires not only skill but also patience because it takes about six hours to cook.

Q:  Which elements would you consider most important when creating a recipe from scratch?

Having the freshest and best quality ingredients.  These are essential for me because when you have both these elements, there’s hardly any need to add seasoning.  The flavor will come out naturally.

Q:  What is your favorite style of cooking and why does that appeal to you most?

Home-style cooking.  It’s still the best for me as it involves simple ingredients and all you need to do is think of the family that you will be cooking for.  That is the best inspiration for the perfect dish.

Q:  What do you look forward to most about cooking for the Cebuanos?

As a fellow Asian, it is a given that we have distinct tastes.  But if we combine the uniqueness of Cebuano and Indonesian delicacies, I am sure I will be able to create a new favorite dish among Cebuanos.

Q:  What do you enjoy most about your work?  What are your greatest stresses?  Your greatest joys?

What I enjoy most is simply cooking.  Stresses occur when I have to prepare a certain dish and the ingredients are not complete or are very hard to find.  My greatest joys are going off on holiday with Gaby, my daughter, and introducing her to the culture of the country I am currently in.

Q:  If you were to eat only one dish for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Ikan asam padeh (hot and sour fish) made by my Mom.

Q:  Who have been the biggest inspirations for your career?

My daughter.  She is my inspiration and it is because of her that I have been able to stay in the culinary field for this long.

Q:  What recipes / cuisines would you like to delve into more?

Filipino and Chinese cuisine.

Q:  What do people need to know about a chef’s job before entering the field?

Being a chef is not as easy as it looks in cooking shows.  In the real kitchen, there are more skills needed and hard work is a major factor.  You have to be constantly and consistently creative and resourceful to be able to satisfy different cravings and palates.  But when you’re able to put a smile on a hungry face, the fulfillment is just great!

Q:  What would you say to a novice in the kitchen to help him/her get over the fear of cooking?

This is actually a nice ending question because I experienced this in Cambodia where all the members of my kitchen staff had zero cooking experience.  I had to be really patient because I had to teach them from scratch.  I told them that they should bring notebooks so they could write down everything that they did daily.  I asked them to be familiar with all the ingredients starting with the time we washed and cleaned them, to the time we cut and cooked them.