Chef Wan

{{Infobox person

| honorific_prefix = Yang Berbahagia
Adjunct Profesor Datuk Dr.

| name = Chef Wan

| honorific-suffix = PMW DSAP

| image = Chef Wan 02 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Chef Wan in 2019

| birth_name = Redzuawan bin Ismail

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|1|6|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Singapore

| other_names =

| citizenship = Malaysia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = {{hlist|Celebrity chef|television host|actor|restaurateur|entrepreneur}}

| years_active = 1990–present

| spouse = Norhayati binti Ayub

| children = Serina Redzuawan
Muhammad Zainudin Redzuawan (Chef Riz)

| father = Ismail Mohd. Nor

| mother = Noraini Abdullah

| relatives =

| education = California Culinary Academy

| television = {{hlist

|Best Wan (Asian Food Channel)

|East bites West (National Geographic)

|Usik-usik Chef Wan (TV9)

|Famili Ceria (ntv7)

}}

| awards =

| website = {{url|https://chefwanlifestyle.com.my}}

| footnotes =

}}

Redzuawan bin Ismail (born 6 January 1958),{{cite web|url=http://www.mychefwan.com/chefwan.html |title=Chef Wan is the 'Food Ambassador of Malaysia' |access-date=11 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210003211/http://www.mychefwan.com/chefwan.html |archive-date=February 10, 2011 }} better known by his stage name Chef Wan, is a Malaysian celebrity chef, television host, actor, restaurateur and entrepreneur.{{cite news |url=http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/7/5/sundaymetro/4247558&sec=sundaymetro |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706151836/http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=%2F2009%2F7%2F5%2Fsundaymetro%2F4247558&sec=sundaymetro |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 July 2009 |date=5 July 2009 |title=My Favorites: Chatty chef |first=Grace |last=Chen |work=The Star Online}}{{cite news | url = http://star-ecentral.com/news/story.asp?file=/2009/8/14/tvnradio/4499212&sec=tvnradio | date = 14 August 2009 | title = Unknown title (expired link)}}{{dead link|date=March 2015}}

Personal life

Chef Wan is a second generation Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) settler who was born and raised in a poor family at Sungai Koyan Felda, Lipis, Pahang.{{cite news |url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/07/502276/chef-wan-receives-ikon-anak-felda-award-nsttv|title=Chef Wan receives 'Ikon Anak Felda' award [NSTTV]|author=Nur Aqidah Azizi|date=7 July 2019|newspaper=New Straits Times|access-date=24 July 2019}}

In an interview in February 2010, Chef Wan said that he is of mixed ancestry; his father has Malay ancestry from Indonesia while his mother has Chinese and Japanese ancestry.{{cite web|url =http://www.thenutgraph.com/selling-ice-to-eskimos|title =Selling ice to eskimos|author=Deborah Loh|publisher=The Nut Graph|date =25 February 2010|access-date=24 July 2019}} Chef Wan has two children. One is Serina Redzuawan, an actress who has appeared in several Malaysian drama series;{{cite web |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/1/nation/20100101200123&sec=nation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116112454/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2010%2F1%2F1%2Fnation%2F20100101200123&sec=nation |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 January 2010 |title=Chef Wan's daughter, actress Serina weds |location=Kuala Lumpur |work=The Star Online |date=1 January 2010 |publisher=Star Publications (M) Bhd |access-date=1 January 2010 }} Chef Wan's son, Muhammad Nazri Redzuawan who is commonly known as Chef Riz, is following in his father's footsteps by becoming a chef as well.{{cite news |url =https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social-and-lifestyle/327801/following-the-food-trail| title =Following The Food trail| date =25 December 2012|work = VANNIYA SRIANGURA|publisher =Bangkok Post|access-date=1 January 2013}}

Career

Chef Wan's early career was as an accountant. He says after seeing the popularity of many types of Asian food in Western countries he decided to promote Malaysia and other South East Asian countries using their food.{{cite news| url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/08/26/talkasia.wan.script/index.html | work=CNN | title=Malaysian Celebrity Chef, Chef Wan's TalkAsia Interview Transcript | date=26 August 2004 | access-date=28 April 2010}}

Chef Wan has an associate degree in Professional Chef Training and Hotel Management from the California Culinary Academy and a Ritz Escoffier Diploma from the Hôtel Ritz Paris.

In 2009, he won the Best Celebrity Television Chef of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Chef Wan is a Tourism Malaysia culinary ambassador.{{cite web | url = http://www.asianfoodchannel.com/chefs/chef-wan | title = Chef Wan | publisher = Asian Food Channel |access-date=20 January 2015}} He is currently a brand ambassador for AirAsia.{{cite news |url=http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/3/22/sundaymetro/3515940&sec=sundaymetro |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604030610/http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=%2F2009%2F3%2F22%2Fsundaymetro%2F3515940&sec=sundaymetro |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 June 2011 |date=22 March 2009 |title=Jet-setting chef |author=ZIEMAN |work=The Star Online}}

In 2005, Anthony Bourdain introduced Chef Wan to American audiences during his trip to Malaysia in season one, episode five of No Reservations. In 2009, Chef Wan appeared in Episode 3 of Rick Stein's television series Far Eastern Odyssey (BBC).

On 26 July 2018, Chef Wan's Kitchen at Esplanade Mall ceased operations after only a year. Chef Wan said, "It's not because the cooks are not good, and neither are the staff to blame. The culinary team just did not follow my recipes... and as a result, many diners were not satisfied... It's better to close it than to invite further criticism from guests who enjoy what I cook."{{cite news|url=https://tnp.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/makan/singapura-restaurant-chef-wans-kitchen-call-it-day|title=Singapura Restaurant, Chef Wan's Kitchen call it a day|author=Esther Loi|date=26 July 2018|newspaper=The New Paper}}

Chef Wan was the recipient of THE 2019 Felda Icon Award at Felda Settlers Day in 2019.{{cite news |url=https://www.thesundaily.my/local/chef-wan-named-2019-felda-icon-BD1072715|title=Chef Wan named 2019 Felda icon|date=7 July 2019|work=Bernama|publisher=The Sun Daily|access-date=24 July 2019}}

In March 2021, viral YouTube comedian Nigel Ng, better known as Uncle Roger, visited Chef Wan's restaurant for a video shoot.{{Cite AV media|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1msUi94HkU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/T1msUi94HkU |archive-date=2021-12-21|title=Uncle Roger Roasted by Celebrity Chef (ft. Chef Wan)|author=Nigel Ng|date=2021-03-07|url-status=live|publisher=MrNigelNg|access-date=2021-03-07|via =YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|last=Teoh|first=Ming|date=2021-03-01|title=Uncle Roger visits Chef Wan's restaurant and sparks fly|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/family/2021/03/01/uncle-roger-visits-chef-wans-restaurant-and-sparks-fly|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-07|website=TheStar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301022645/https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/family/2021/03/01/uncle-roger-visits-chef-wans-restaurant-and-sparks-fly |archive-date=2021-03-01 }} Chef Wan mentioned how he was offered to be on Gelak Gempak Selebrity, a new stand-up comedy show, but declined the offer, stating that he preferred to be "spontaneously funny" and "didn't have much confidence in the field of stand-up comedy".

Controversies

In 2014, Chef Wan posted a photo on his Instagram account of an object which he linked as debris from the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and subsequently dismissed the debris as "an old toilet door from Cik Kiah's house". He was criticized for making an inappropriate joke with regards to the missing plane.{{cite news | url = http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/03/21/Chef-Wan-instagram-mh370/ | title = Chef Wan draws netizen's ire with spoof picture| date = 21 March 2014|work =The Star Online}}{{cite web |url=http://english.astroawani.com/news/show/chef-wan-ridicules-discovery-of-object-32237|title=Chef Wan ridicules discovery of object| location = Kuala Lumpur | date= 21 March 2014 | publisher = Astro Awani| access-date=20 January 2015}} He took down the post and defended the joke as a means to gauge public reaction and was further criticized for it.{{cite web |url=http://www.mole.my/content/chef-wan-responded-criticisms-over-his-mh370-distasteful-joke |title=Chef Wan: MH370 joke was mere jest to gauge public reaction |location=Kuala Lumpur |work=The Mole |publisher=MOLE.my |access-date=20 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101144739/http://www.mole.my/content/chef-wan-responded-criticisms-over-his-mh370-distasteful-joke |archive-date=1 January 2015 }}{{cite web|url=http://english.astroawani.com/news/show/mh370-photo-was-a-joke-to-gauge-public-reaction-chef-wan-32259|title=MH370: Photo was a joke to gauge public reaction - Chef Wan| publisher =Astro Awani|access-date=20 January 2015}}

In 2015, while criticising a CNN ranking of the world's best food destinations for its low placement of Malaysia, Chef Wan stated that "[the] Philippines is known to have the worst food in Asia, ask any chefs and they will tell you I am right".{{cite news|url=http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/chef-wan-malaysia-should-be-1st-not-6th-on-cnns-food-ranking|title=Chef Wan: Malaysia should be 1st, not 6th on CNN's food ranking|work=Malay Mail|date=17 June 2015|access-date=1 October 2016}}

In 2017, Chef Wan, being the son of a Felda settler, vented his frustrations and disappointments over the Felda scandals by calling the agency "Felda then, Failed dah now" and condemned the culprits.{{cite news|url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/hiburan/406738|title=Chef Wan: Dulu Felda, sekarang 'failed dah'|date=27 December 2017|work=Malaysiakini|language=ms|access-date=27 December 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmYilz5tlgE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/rmYilz5tlgE |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Felda then, "Failed dah" now - Chef Wan|date=27 December 2017|work=KiniTV|publisher=Malaysiakini|access-date=27 December 2017}}{{cbignore}} On a cooking programme and campaign visit to the Felda community during the January 2019 Cameron Highlands by-election, he said he wanted to slap former prime minister Najib Razak and ex-Felda chairman Mohd Isa Abdul Samad for mismanaging the agency.{{Cite news|url=https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/127289|title=Chef Wan wants to slap Najib, Isa Samad|publisher=The Malaysian Insight|author=Christopher Rabin|date=20 January 2019|access-date=23 January 2019}} He apologized later for his coarse language.{{cite news |url =https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/01/21/to-najib-im-sorry-says-chef-wan/| title ='To Najib, I'm sorry,' says Chef Wan| date = 21 January 2019|work =The Star Online|access-date=21 January 2019}}

After he was awarded the 2019 Felda Icon, Chef Wan was criticized for claiming that some of the Felda settlers were lazy and tended to "breed like cats" for having polygamous marriages and large families, and becoming complacent in their rich and comfortable lives. He stressed the importance of hard work and a need to avoid laziness among the settlers based on his own observations living in the Felda settlements.{{cite news |url=https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/groove/2019/07/502537/showbiz-felda-settlers-must-work-hard-chef-wan|title=#Showbiz: 'Felda settlers must work hard' - Chef Wan|author= Dennis Chua|date=8 July 2019|newspaper=New Straits Times|access-date=24 July 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/07/504322/people-twisted-my-felda-post-says-chef-wan|title=People twisted my Felda post, says Chef Wan|author= Aref Omar|date=15 July 2019|newspaper=New Straits Times|access-date=24 July 2019}}{{cite news |url =https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/07/11/chef-wan-im-not-sorry-at-all/| title =Chef Wan: I'm not sorry at all| date =11 July 2019|author=Sira Habibu, C. Aruno & R. Aravinthan|work =Sinar Harian|publisher =The Star Online|access-date=24 July 2019}} Najib Razak embroiled himself in a war of words with Chef Wan over his remarks this time.{{cite news |url =https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/07/09/round-2-najib-and-chef-wan-in-war-of-words-over-felda-icon-award/| title =Najib and Chef Wan at it like cats and dogs over Felda remarks| date =9 July 2019|work =The Star Online|access-date=24 July 2019}} Chef Wan has told the disgraced ex-PM to 'shut his mouth' and 'don't bark like a mad dog'.{{cite news|url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/07/09/attacked-for-criticising-felda-settlers-chef-wan-tells-najib-to-shut-his-mo/1769664|title=Attacked for criticising Felda settlers, Chef Wan tells Najib to 'shut his mouth'|author=Julia Chan|newspaper=Malay Mail|date=9 July 2019|access-date=24 July 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/chef-wan-najib-felda-do-not-bark-like-mad-dog-11703812|title='Don't bark like a mad dog': Chef Wan tells ex-PM Najib after comments on FELDA settlers|publisher=Channel News Asia|date=9 July 2019|access-date=24 July 2019}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable"

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1996

| Lurah Dendam

| Rizal

| First appearance

1997

| Baginda

| Teacher Ismail

2000

| Soal Hati

| Naza

2005

| Senario XX

| Dad Siti

2011

| Karipap-Karipap Cinta

| Himself

2015

| Gangsterrock Kasi Sengat

| Himself

| Special appearance

= Television =

class="wikitable"

! Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1999–2001

| Kampung Boy

| Himself

| Voice-acting, 1 episode

Honours

=Honours of Malaysia=

{{Flag|Federal Territory (Malaysia)}} :
50px Commander of the Order of the Territorial Crown (PMW) – Datuk (2010){{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/story/?file=%2F2010%2F2%2F26%2Fcentral%2F5729284&sec=central|title=Federal Territories Day Honours List for 2010

|newspaper=The Star|date=26 February 2010|access-date=20 April 2019}}

{{Flag|Pahang}} :
50px Knight Companion of the Order of Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang (DSAP) – Dato' (2016){{cite news|url=https://www.kinitv.com/video/135798d8-95d8-4115-b779-d2b01c4f2e8b|title=Chef Wan Dikurnia Datuk Kali Ke-2 Dari Sultan Pahang|language=ms|publisher=Malaysiakini|date=28 January 2019|access-date=20 April 2019}}{{cite news |date=28 January 2019 |title=Chef Wan dikurnia Datuk kali ke-2 dari Sultan Pahang |url=https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/photos/chef-wan-dikurnia-datuk-kali-ke-2-dari-sultan-pahang/vp-BBSPCns |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420082707/https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/photos/chef-wan-dikurnia-datuk-kali-ke-2-dari-sultan-pahang/vp-BBSPCns |archive-date=2019-04-20 |access-date=20 April 2019 |publisher=MSN |language=ms}}