Chef Khairul (middle) with his team members
By V. Sivaji
As the director of culinary at the Bertam Resort Penang, Chef Khairul Ghazali and his team put out an tantalising array of dishes day in day out.
He comes with more than 25 years experience in the industry working in Langkawi, Sabah, and Kuala Lumpur.
He has been with the Bertam Resort Penang since pre-opening and was instrumental in planning for the various set-up and implementation of the various food & beverage outlets at the resort.
Chef Khairul has also taken part in numerous competitions and workshops to gain knowledge and also to share valuable tips in seminars.
“Among our popular local dishes often ordered at our restaurants are Mee Goreng, Koay Teow Goreng, Satay and Teh Tarik. So much so, these dishes have become the “talk of town” as they say.
“Meanwhile, our ballroom which can accommodate 1,500 people is among the popular venues for corporate dinners and also private functions.
“Then we have our 15 seminar rooms, waterpark and restaurants to cater for guest dining too. My duties also involve training my team, food costing and promotion of our food choices”, he added.
He is also equally passionate about Western and also Middle Eastern cuisine and likes to put his personal touch on several of the dishes at the resort.
Chef Khairul added that he is happy to have a good team of assistants who are capable of handling the daily requirements of the restaurant and ballroom needs.
“This industry requires constant fine tuning and coming out with creative dishes and menus to suit the expectation of the guests.
“With the availability of social media, guests are constantly aware of the latest dishes in the market, especially restaurants and other hotels.
“We are always on our toes to keep up and innovate our menu at the resort to suit the customer’s expectations”, he said.
This Ramadan season, his team is putting out some of the best choices of local and Middle Eastern cuisine for guests to enjoy.
In ending this interview, Chef Khairul shared that he likes to read and follow up on motor sports too. He is also into travelling, sight-seeing and of course – cooking.