Jane Leong has worked for Gordon Ramsay in the past and now works for Josh Emett as head chef at Madam Woo in Queenstown, but the talented 31-year-old Malaysian chef says it’s her mum who has been her biggest inspiration.
How did you get into cooking?
I was born and bred in Malaysia and my ethnicity is Hainanese. I grew up working in our family-owned coffee shop at a very young age. It’s been in my family for three generations. I just love watching Mum cook whenever I get the chance and my passion for cooking has slowly been growing on me since the age of 10. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a chef, so after finishing high school, I decided to further my studies in the city. I trained as a chef at a Swiss Cooking School outpost in Malaysia, IMI Lucerne, where I gained a Diploma in Professional Chef Training. I’ve worked in Australian ski resorts and at White Salt in Perth. That was enough for my resume to get noticed by Josh when he was interviewing for Maze Melbourne. Later when Maze closed down I had a senior role for the new owners, Crowne Metropol Hotel, who turned it into Mr Hive Kitchen and Bar.
What’s it like working for Gordon Ramsay and Josh Emett?
Unfortunately Gordon wasn’t there much. I only met him once at the opening of Maze Melbourne. Josh was the chef de cuisine at Maze back then and for Maze Grill Melbourne. He’s a very motivated and talented chef and I certainly learn a lot from him. What I’ve learned most from him though is confidence in the kitchen – how to be a leader and how to use all the knowledge we’ve been learning and be creative in the kitchen.
Is it harder for a woman to rise to the top as a chef?
Yes, starting out, it’s not easy being a female in a male-dominated kitchen. We invest a lot of our time in working long hours. We work smart and work twice as hard as other male chefs in order to get the recognition and rise to the top.
I think females are more patient than some male chefs too. I don’t have a partner or children, so it’s easier to focus on my career. There is just me. These days the chef profession is moving pretty fast and once you miss that ‘golden time,’ age can catch up. You definitely need stamina. You need to be calm, focused and confident, so you can make quick decisions and find an instant answer when things happen, such as a customer presenting with allergies. Passion is also very important. Whether you’re cooking fine dining or pub food, you can always produce an amazing meal for people.
What kind of food do you enjoy the most?
Mum’s cooking! Simplicity is best. My all time favourite is Mum’s Hainanese Chicken Rice for sure! We have it on the menu at Madam Woo. It was a favourite food for me as a child. Our menu is designed to share, because that’s what we do back home. We get everybody together at the table – it’s buzzing and fun. If I don’t like eating or making it then you won’t find it on our menu. I enjoy every single dish. In Malaysian cooking we have a core ingredient, sambal, a Malaysian chilli paste.
Who is your greatest mentor?
My mother is my greatest mentor, not just for cooking, but in life. She works so hard and never stops. She makes a great mentor. She reminds me that I need to work to achieve something one day. She makes me who I am today. She’s given me that mentality of not giving up, just go for gold. I’d like to own my own restaurant one day, somewhere where I see an opportunity.
