CHEF Ron Chew’s unwavering interest in cooking is an inherited passion as the head chef of Italian on Sixth remembers precious moments of cutting vegetables and washing pots at his father’s restaurant during his childhood.
This eventually led to him opening a burger and hot dog stand at the age of 19.
Good response to his home-made burgers from return customers, saw him taking his interest a step further when he joined the Shangri-la Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
Perfect start: The Anti Pasti Platter is an interesting combination.
He soon learnt to adjust to the fast-paced kitchen and has not looked back since.
“My career is a tribute to my father, Chew Sing Heng, who is in his 90s. In his prime, he was one of the best Hailam cooks around as he made tasty dim sum and char siew and his restaurant was popular with the locals,” Chew said proudly of his father who owned The Swiss Restaurant in Taiping decades ago.
The hotel experience paved the way for him to work at several local outlets including Chinoz and Citron before embarking on a culinary adventure in Italy where he would immerse himself in Italian cuisine.
In Tuscany, Chew worked 14 hours a day and learnt classic Italian dishes.
“Cooking is a passion and I have gained invaluable experience during my travels abroad.
“I was adventurous and willing to learn and, in life, if you want to learn you have to be humble to gain knowledge,” said Chew, who is the youngest in his family.
Cooking does run in the family because he has a brother who works at the butchery in Shangri-la, an older brother who is a chef at Eastin Hotel and a sister who is a pastry chef.
After 18 months of living, breathing, eating and speaking Italian, it was time to translate his culinary lessons and tantalise the taste buds of gourmands.
Sheer dedication to his profession is obvious as the chef is on his toes from the moment he steps into Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.
In addition to cooking and supervising his staff, Chew also dons his other hat as the outlet’s public relations officer, going from table to table to welcome and introduce customers to the myriad of culinary pleasures available.
He exudes confidence when dishing up fabulous Italian food and his intimacy with the food gives him the leverage to be creative.
“I am open to criticism as the feedback I receive helps me improve,” he said.
His flair with food was shown in the Anti Pasti Platter which was handsomely decked with Prosciutto Con Melone (air-flown Parma ham with rock melon and cracked pepper), Cupa Sante (scallops and bacon with balsamic glaze), Mushroom on Ciabatta with chardonnay cream and Empress Snapper with tropical tartar sauce.
Yummy treat: The lamb cutlets are prepared well with an tasty glaze to top it off.
We marvelled at the rich and tasty Crema Di Funghi Di Bosco prepared with a fusion of mushrooms but the liveliness of the Aglio E Olio Con Fruiti Di Mare sealed our faith in Chew’s cooking abilities.
Extra virgin olive oil coats each strand of the aromatic pasta with hints of garlic and chili padi emerging in the dish.
A sprinkling of roasted garlic is a neat trick, further enhancing the presentation and taste of the dish.
The manager said the inclusion of the bird’s eye chilli added a subtle twist that was enjoyed even by foreign diners.
The delivery of the carbonara laden with bacon was another winner as the thick sauce gently clung to the pasta.
Two pastas down and there was room for no more but Chew would not let us leave without tasting the Grigliata Agnello Con Salsa Mentha (chargrilled lamb cutlets with foie gras, mint and honey glaze) and Pan fried Pork Chops in Mushroom Sauce and Sage.
After satisfying our palates, Lumayan Mewah Sdn Bhd marketing manager Damian Lee whipped up Fragrance (an aromatic drink with lavender, green apple syrup, rum and lemon juice) and Bubble Yum (bubble gum syrup, Bailey’s and Triple Sec) readying us for the sweets of the night.
A sight to behold were the artistically designed Strawberry Coated with Belgian Chocolate, Panacotta and Caramelised Banana.
ITALIAN ON SIXTH (non-halal), LOT 6.12, Level 6, Pavilion KL, 168, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2144 2992) Business hours: noon to 10pm, daily.
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