Since the start of the Movement Control Oder (MCO) many individuals had lost their main source of income, as businesses were told to either stop or pause their operations. That said, the MCO had also taught all of us a lesson on hard work and determination.

Datuk Redzuawan Ismail, popularly known as Chef Wan, recently shared a story on his personal Instagram account about how he became one of the most sought-after chefs not only in Malaysia but also abroad.

Photo: Tatler Malaysia

Inspired by an article he read on The Star, of a fitness trainer, Chin Jie Xun, who worked at a wet market during MCO to make ends meet, Chef Wan advised the youngsters with a few anecdotes on how to become a successful person before sharing his own personal journey.

 

 

 

 

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Thank you Star paper for highlighting some courages and inspiring story of Fitness trainer Chin Jie Xun whom has resorted to working at the wet market ehen his income dried up during the MCO period. His flexibility and willingness to undertake this diffcult jobs juga menjadi contoh yg baik kepada fresh graduates to survive in this hard time. Jika kita mempunyai sikap memilih kerja, suka membuta dan tidur seharian dan menonton TV atau mengharap kan makbapak menangung saraan hidup kita sedang kan kita dan besar panjang buat apa pun tak akan jadi dan hidup kita tidak selamat. Manusia yg ingin kan kejayaan must first change their very own attitude dahulu, get up and realised that they need to make changes to their frustrating and depressive life. I know what i am talking about as i was there making changes to my own life berniaga direct selling semasa belajar di ITM ketika itu then when i went abroad to further my studies in Sydney i was doing part time waiting on tables as well as working in the Paddy wholesale market on weekend selling lebanese Kebabs. When i decided to go to my Chef school pula in San Francisco i was also waiting on tables in the evenings with part time jobs as a gardener to house keeping jobs within my neighbourhood and a private chef job to several wealthy families around Pacific Heights to help me pay for my school fees and still supporting my x wife and both my 2 children at the same time! All that jobs inbetween school taught me many lessons in life to be at the top and doing what is best to acquire knowledge and different skills at the same time while meetings so many beautiful and kind people who was there also to provide me with an honest rezeki for raised my family back home at the same time developed my very own confidence, self esteem and have a successful life in the future. As i say what does'nt kill u will always make u stronger multiple times! Be a responsible human beings and take pride in what u do instead of bringing in endless burden to your parent and family. Life is a huge challenge and there are always sacrificies to be made. Had i not gone through all that tough journey i would have not open my bloody mouth this morning!😂

A post shared by chef wan (@_chefwan58) on Jun 2, 2020 at 7:23pm PDT

“People who want success must first change their own attitude, get up, and realise they need to make changes to their lives,” he wrote in the post that was liked by more than 6,000 users!

“I know what I am talking about as I was there making changes in my own life (having a) direct selling business when I was in ITM.”

Chef Wan did not stop there as even when he was abroad, he continued to fend from himself and his family.

“Then, when I went abroad to further my studies in Sydney, I did part-time (job) waiting tables as well as working in the Paddy wholesale market on weekends selling Lebanese kebab, ”

“When I decided to go to my Chef school in San Francisco, I was also waiting on tables in the evenings with a part-time jobs as a gardener to housekeeping jobs within my neighbourhood and a private chef job to several wealthy families around Pacific Heights to help me pay for my school fees and still supporting my ex-wife and both of my 2 children at the same time!”

Chef Wan said that his experience working odd jobs in between schools had taught him many valuable lessons as well as developed his confidence and self-esteem to become a successful person in life.

“As I say what doesn’t kill u will always make u stronger multiple times!”

“Life is a huge challenge and there are always sacrifices to be made. Had I not gone through all that tough journey I would have not opened my bloody mouth this morning!” he jokingly added.

Chef Wan also shared the hardship he went through when he was little, working in the orchards and plantations to help feed his family of nine. Every income he earned at the time, he gave it to his mother just to help with the family.

“That hard life taught me to always be responsible for my entire family and be proud of what I have achieved.”

 

 

 

 

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Bersambung.....Hasil dari sikap saya sendiri yg tidak memilih apa sahaja kerja saya asal kan mendatang kan rezeki yg lumayan dan halal maka saya realised sejak muda lagi saya ini campak kemana sahaja boleh hidup. Semasa cuti sekolah waktu kecil dan remaja pun masa saya di isi beniaga kueh mueh, berkebun sayuran sendiri sambil berkerja sebagai buruh kasar di ladang kelapa sawit Felda Sg Koyan 2. Kawin bunga, chop pelepar, membaja, meracun lalang2 sampai mengutip buat lerai sampai both my palm tersiat kulit nya dan terpaksa balut kain kerana berdarah dan keperitan. Despite all that hard work i was able to supplement my parent income to feed 9 members of my family. Dapat Gaji setiap bulan semua saya serah kan to my mother. Sometime every single cents of it. Jika saya simpan pun cuma rm5.00 didalam saku saya. So that hard life thought me to always be responsible of my entire family and be proud of what i have achieved. That is why bila suami memper isteri kan sesaorang wanita dan tidak mampu memberi nafkah kepada isteri dan anak2 mereka sangat lah memalu kan diri mereka sendiri. Dah la tu boleh lagi bersikap sombong dan angkuh padahal perbuatan mereka itu besar kesalahannya even di dalam agama. Your wife is never your slave and should be treated with respect. Respect is earn by all the good deeds we do but not being a big bully and think u can get away with that shit kan.. In life when u take pride in anything u do offcourse u will not face any problems in life. Jika hidup kita asyik nak menyalah kan orang lain tetapi sikap sendiri yg malas berusaha itu kita tidak nampak atau pun suka memilih kerja then duduk saja di situ sampai reput pun no body care. There load of other people out there who will take this challenges in life too. Duduk bertapa di rumah lama2 pun bukan nya elok. Nanti kita sendiri akan rasa diri kita tertinggal jauh dari orang lain. Its not good to stay home feeling sorry, miserable and deepress. Trust me i was there when i was remaja after school. I wanted to have a better quality life with some money in my pocket ketika itu. Sanggup saya pi duduk rumah my late uncle Lokman ketika itu di Damansara Utama pi kedai runchit Ah Seng kukur kelapa!

A post shared by chef wan (@_chefwan58) on Jun 2, 2020 at 7:58pm PDT

He went on to remind others to pay forward, in kindness and compassion, once you are successful and can afford to share what you have.

“That is why I always believed in sacrificing for others because it teaches us human beings to be compassionate, emphatic, to love and be kind towards others.”

“When u can learn to put others ahead of u first then you begin to realise that God will bless you with many more greater things in life.”

 

 

 

 

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Continue...Patut la NST writer once wrote a big article on me... Siap title nya..."CW jack of all traits trying to master them all.. Wan for all, all for Wan" Dia nak jadi Celebrity chef, pelakun, comedian, Food Ambassador to Tourism Msia, Ahli usahawan sampai la being a motivator. Di rumah dia la house keeper, tukang masak sampai la tukang kebun, sekejap jadi emak nak jadi bapak, tok or nenek pun semua jawatan boleh saya usahakan dgn baik dan berjaya. Manusia yg tegas, happy go lucky serta rajin berusaha pintu rezeki kita akan sentiasa Allah buka kan. Apa tah lagi rezeki nama kita itu hari ini memberi makan dan juga kepada ramai chefs2 dan pekerja kita untuk menanggung keluarga mereka yg ramai juga. I didnt started my life from the top! Wasnt born with a silver spoon or turn to be a spoilt brat either. I knew if i wanted to have a fabulous lifestyle and a jet setter then i need to work super hard. Rezeki kita tak kan tergolik sahaja mcm tu Allah nak beri pun dia pilih pilih juga orang nya. With that rezeki dia pulak duga kita. Ada ke kita jadi manusia yg tamak, kedekut, sombong, lupa diri dan riak. Are we using our wealth to also reached out to others around us etc. That is why i always believed in sacrificing for orhers because it teaches us human beings to lahir kan sifat2 compassionate, enpathy, love and kindness to wards others. All this life experiences and respect u only can earned by doing it your self. When u can learn to put others ahead of u first then u begin to realised that Allah will blessed u with many more greater things in life. All this lessons in life tak akan merugi kan kita langsung. Infact dia nya akan bentuk perbagai keperibadian kita sendiri. Yang cemburu dan sakit hati pada kejayaan kita will continue to buruk dan sebar kan mcm2 fitnah untuk memuas kan hati mereka masing2. Yg itu semua kita cant control as they are your challenge laid by Allah daily. Dia duga hati kita dan hati busuk mereka. So what do u do? Kita maaf kan mereka dan kasihan kan mereka sudah lah. Jangan layan, move on as Allah have a better place for us for having kesabaran dan memaafkan mereka. Berbakul eaok pahala kita di akhirat esok dgn umpatan mereka. Let go!😂👍

A post shared by chef wan (@_chefwan58) on Jun 2, 2020 at 8:16pm PDT

We hope everyone will be inspired by Chef Wan’s story and remember that a little hard work goes a long way.

By: Siti Farhana Sheikh Yahya