Cooking up a golden meal for Malaysia

The Star

19-05-2025

KAZAN (Tatarstan): Muhamad Sufi Irfan Mohamad Rusdin could not believe it when he won the gold medal in the Confectionery Arts category at the prestigious Young Chefs International Com­pe­tition 2025 here.
The UiTM Penang culinary student defeated participants from 12 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Tunisia, Tur­kiye, Russia, Indonesia, Uzbekis­tan, Senegal, Kazakhstan and Iran.
'I was in shock when I heard my name announced as the winner. I felt my heart racing and my hands trembling. I entered the competition to challenge myself and test my abilities on an international level. It was a new experience for me,' the 23-year-old told Bernama.
The menu chosen by Muhamad Sufi, who is from Pasir Mas, Kelantan, which captured the judges' hearts was Malaysian fusion with a touch of Western – a seafood-based salad, crispy fried fish with tomato and basil salad with lemon dressing.
The main menu featured marble beef tenderloin served with curry-infused juice, glazed vegetables with local wild mushroom and rosti potato, and dessert comprising bingka labu, mandarin orange sauce with chocolate mousse, fresh fruit and sugar garnish.
Muhamad Sufi said he felt a bit nervous while preparing the ingredients due to a limited time.
'But overall, everything went according to plan. What I practised, that's what I did in the competition kitchen,' he said, adding that one of the requirements was for participants to combine raw ingredients obtained in Kazan, like cod fish, meat, cooking oil, flour, vegetables and local fruits.
Muhamad Sufi said the menu choices were made and inspired by two of his lecturers who acted as team managers at UiTM Penang.
'This menu also had a touch of traditional Malay that I wanted to highlight, so that the judges could feel the authenticity and creati­vity in my dishes,' added the budding chef.
Describing the 'drama' that occurred during the competition, Muhamad Sufi said he felt ­panicky and anxious when he saw the clock ticking fast.
'The strongest pressure during the competition was to manage time and emotions.
'Sometimes, when there were distractions, I started to panic. But I tried to stay calm and focused on one thing at a time,' he said, adding that he started his preparations about two weeks before the competition began.
The training included time management, cooking and food testing to ensure all flavours were balanced and the presentation was appealing, he added.
­Muhamad Sufi said the experience of participating in several previous food competitions gave him the motivation and confidence to participate in his first international event in Kazan.
'I have participated in several competitions such as the 2023 Melaka Culinary Challenge and 2024 Battle of The Chefs at Spice Arena in Penang, and I won a bronze medal in both,' he added.