Taylor’s on the Global Stage: Celebrating Another International Podium Success in Culinary Excellence

One Institute. Two International Podium Finishes. One Shared Pursuit of Excellence.

Taylor’s Culinary Institute celebrated two outstanding international achievements by its students, Grace Ong and Herman Wong, who represented Malaysia at the Global Skills Challenge 2026 in Wollongong, Australia, competing alongside talented young skills competitors from around the world. Grace Ong, a student of the Bachelor of Science in Culinology, secured a Gold Medal, demonstrating exceptional culinary skills, technical precision, creativity, time management and professional discipline. Her performance reflected not only her culinary talent, but also the focus, resilience and commitment required to excel in a highly demanding international competition.

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Meanwhile, Herman Wong earned a Bronze Medal, marking another significant achievement for Taylor’s Culinary Institute. Competing in a new and challenging environment, Herman pushed his technical capabilities, refined his craft and gained valuable exposure to international competition standards. Together, their achievements highlighted the importance of continuous training, dedicated mentorship and industry exposure in preparing students to compete confidently on the global stage.

Under the guidance of their facilitators and competition coaches, Chef Frederic Cerchi and Chef Farouk Othman, both students underwent intensive preparation focused on technical refinement, consistency, competition strategy, time management and mental resilience. Their guidance and expertise played an important role in supporting the students throughout their preparation and competition journey. Their success reflected not only their individual dedication and perseverance, but also Taylor’s Culinary Institute’s commitment to developing industry-ready talent equipped with the skills, confidence and professional discipline to perform at an international level. These achievements further underscored Taylor’s University’s commitment to nurturing highly skilled and globally competitive culinary professionals.

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Taylor’s Culinary Institute extends its congratulations to Grace and Herman on their remarkable achievements. Their accomplishments demonstrate how purposeful training, mentorship and determination can empower young culinary talents to pursue excellence beyond the classroom and represent Malaysia on the international stage.

Advancing Sustainable Urban Tourism in Bukit Bintang, Malaysia

Taylor’s University, in collaboration with Kuala Lumpur Tourism, Entrepreneurs, and Stakeholders Association (KLTESA), organised a multi-stakeholder Focus Group Discussion (FGD) titled “Urban Tourism Sustainability: A Multi-Stakeholder Framework for Bukit Bintang Using the Sustainable Tourism Index (STI)” at Imperial Lexis Kuala Lumpur. Led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jeetesh Kumar and Dr. Nagathisen Katahenggam, the project engagement brought together 27 participants representing tourism leadership, government agencies, businesses, tourist guiding, technology, energy efficiency, and other industry sectors to examine the sustainability of Bukit Bintang across five key dimensions: Economic, Socio-Cultural, Environmental, Governance, and Technology and Digitalisation.

Participants included Ybg. Datuk Seri Mirza Mohammad Taiyab Beg, Advisor to KLTESA, alongside representatives from Tourism Malaysia, Jabatan Wilayah Persekutuan, the hospitality sector, tourism businesses, and the tourist guiding community. Prof. Dr. Fadi Charchar, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research & Enterprise, Taylor’s University, delivered the opening address, reaffirming the University’s commitment to community-centred and impact-driven research.

The discussions highlighted Bukit Bintang’s strong network of businesses, communities, and tourism stakeholders, while identifying opportunities for greater coordination among existing sustainability and cultural initiatives. Key issues raised included cleanliness and littering, community continuity, the evolving role of migrant and foreign-worker communities, and the need to strengthen the visibility of Malaysian culture within the visitor experience.

A significant discussion centred on Bukit Bintang’s cultural and historical identity. While tourist guides already incorporated local storytelling into their work, these efforts remained largely individual and sporadic. Participants highlighted the opportunity to develop a stronger cultural and historical narrative connecting the area’s streets, communities, food, businesses, and evolving urban landscape. Such an approach could strengthen destination identity while contributing to the socio-cultural dimension of the STI.

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Three strategic themes emerged from the engagement: People First, Data + Action, and Collaboration. Participants emphasised the importance of capable people, actionable STI data, and stronger stakeholder coordination in advancing sustainability. The initiative subsequently identified areas for further exploration, including stakeholder data collection, capacity building, an STI business dashboard, cleanliness initiatives, stronger cultural integration, and a shared sustainability platform.

The FGD marked an important step in Taylor’s University’s efforts to advance sustainable urban tourism through research, stakeholder engagement, and collaboration. It also contributed to ongoing efforts to position the STI not only as a measurement tool, but as a collaborative framework for fostering a more inclusive, culturally distinctive, and sustainable Bukit Bintang.

Classroom to Culinary Excellence: Taylor’s Culinary Students Gain Industry Experience Through a Kitchen Take-Over at Mandarin Oriental Desaru Coast

The Bachelor of Culinary Management (Hons.), in collaboration with Mandarin Oriental Desaru Coast, successfully conducted the Kitchen Take-Over Programme, providing 30 Bachelor students with an immersive industry experience at one of Malaysia’s premier luxury resorts. The four-day programme was designed to bridge academic learning with real-world hospitality practice, offering students valuable exposure to professional culinary and Food & Beverage operations while strengthening the partnership between academia and industry.

A key highlight was the students’ involvement in supporting the prestigious Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Change Leadership Forum (CLF), which was attended by the Group’s Chief Executive Officer, regional leaders, General Managers, and senior executives from Mandarin Oriental properties worldwide. Under the guidance of the resort’s Executive Chef Fazli Rahman and departmental leaders, students contributed to breakfast service, coffee breaks, live cooking stations, banquet operations, lunch service, and the signature Fire, Salt & Story barbecue dinner. The experience provided valuable insight into the planning and delivery of a high-profile international corporate event while upholding luxury hospitality standards.

Throughout the programme, students rotated across Culinary and Food & Beverage departments, gaining practical experience in mise en place, production planning, live cooking demonstrations, event rehearsals, guest engagement, and outdoor dining operations. They strengthened essential technical competencies while developing key professional attributes, including teamwork, leadership, adaptability, communication, problem-solving, and time management. Continuous guidance from industry professionals further enhanced their confidence, capabilities, and career readiness.

Beyond technical training, the programme immersed students in Mandarin Oriental’s service philosophy and international standards in food safety, operational discipline, guest experience, and quality assurance. Working in a fast-paced luxury hospitality environment enabled students to appreciate the precision, professionalism, and collaboration required to deliver exceptional guest experiences. Notably, 85% of participating students received personal invitations from the hotel’s leadership to explore Management Trainee positions or employment opportunities upon completion of their studies, reflecting industry recognition of their capabilities and performance.

The Kitchen Take-Over Programme successfully integrated classroom learning with authentic industry practice, reinforcing the value of experiential education in preparing future hospitality professionals. The initiative further strengthened Taylor’s University and Mandarin Oriental Desaru Coast’s shared commitment to talent development, industry engagement, and excellence in hospitality education.