Maisurah Mazhar never set out to become a chef. She didn’t come from a culinary family, and she didn’t spend her childhood helping her grandmother in the kitchen. Instead, she move into the culinary world was fueled by a desire to travel and as a food lover. She started out at 16, selling bread pizza to gain money. “I was so excited hearing the stories from my friends about travelling around the world and also food chatting.” After finish her upper level study, she applied for further her study on culinary lines at UiTM.

Her first diploma was at Penang and she gather a lot of experienced by joining the UiTM Penang Culinary Team. She started being kitchen helper for the team by washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen to gather food knowledge from the chef and her senior. On the second semester, she being called by her lecturer to be a part of team which is joining as a contestant.

Although diploma in Culinary for 3 years have passed, she continue with degree in same course to gather more knowledge about food. She started her degree at UiTM Shah Alam and then transfer to UiTM Puncak Alam.

Maisurah Mazhar gather a lot of experienced from her practical and also part time job. Starting with Kuala Lumpur International Hotel, Flora Terrace Restaurant Hampshire Place Kuala Lumpur, and also Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

She also was appear at Malaysian Women famous magazine which is Mingguan Wanita as to share her culinary line life and sharing food recipe about Vegan style. Moreover, she also joining a wide competitions that being held by World Association Of Chefs Societies (WACS), Chef Association Malaysia Penang Chapter, Chef Association Malaysia East Coast, CAM youth Chef, Tourism Malaysia, Petronas, Maggie, Nestle and more.

She was being a contestant for 5th Penang Chef Challenge 2012, Penang beach carnival 2012 for Eastern Trophy, IKIP Advance skills Centre Asian Culinary Challenge 2013 & 2015, Culinaire Malaysia 2013, Battle of The Chef 2014 and other. Her major strength in culinary line were Fruit and Vegetable Carving, Pastry and Bakery, Plated dishes and food photography. She have gained Gold Medal for Fruit and vegetable carving at Battle of The Chef 2014 and Gold medal for Plated Dessert at IKIP Advance skills Centre Asian Culinary Challenge (IASCC) 2015 on June last week.

Despite of that, she said that the student should keep learning on basic thing. “As when we have learn, understand and master the basic, we can do anything with the food. Never stop learning and when you have succeed nor failure, just keep on learning. To be someone, you also should know the trends and you need to create a new trends by studying the trends itself.”

She have mention about molecular Gastronomy. “It is not about the molecular, but it is about mastering the basic technics. The more effort you put, the more you get what it is.”

Last updated: 10 June 2015