Day in the life: the Ritz Carlton's Noodle chef

10:00am – I wake up and straight away have two glasses of water to reduce blood pressure.
11:00am – Time to go to the gym for a quick workout and then cook myself a nice breakfast to get ready for the day.
1:00pm – Spend some time reading cooking books and studying new recipe cards. Even though I am a speciality chef for noodle making, I want to learn more different styles of Asian food.

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3:00pm – I arrive at the hotel, get changed and go to the receiving area to pick up dry goods and vegetables. The most important part is checking the quality and freshness of the product.
4:00pm – Once in my restaurant, I set up my noodle section. I also check all the ingredients to ensure they are in line with hygiene standards.
5:00pm – My favourite part of the day begins when I start preparing the noodle dough.

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5:30pm – A quick dinner of light soup and white rice. This is how we keep fit and healthy in China!
6:00pm – Exactly one hour before Li Jiang opens its doors, we make sure the mise en place is ready and check stock quality with my assistant.
6:30pm – Next up is a meeting with chef de cuisine Sam Peong Teck You and the sous chef where we review daily reservations.

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7:00pm – Show time! I am at my station with a big smile ready for the noodle-pulling show.
8:00pm – The restaurant gets busy and noodle orders start coming in.
9:30pm – As guests finish dinner they stop at my station to watch me pull the noodles, while I try to explain the basics of the technique and culture.

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10:00pm – More guests come to talk to me and it’s a great opportunity to engage with them and to practice my Arabic.
11:00pm – I am in the office ordering store items for the next days, then close my station and leave for the day.
11:30pm – Back home cooking some late dinner with my friends before lights out.