The Johor-born chef Syeriff Hafizal Effendy Bala began his career in 2004 as a commis, working in a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur. The kind and friendly Syeriff first stepped foot in a kitchen at an early age when he was in Standard Four, to help his mother who was busy with work most of the time. He soon developed a natural passion for cooking. “I still remember the first thing I cooked was meehoon goreng, a simple dish, which all my family in my hometown enjoyed,” he recalls proudly.

Now, he is a talented and creative pastry chef at One World Hotel, overseeing the various aspects on preparation of desserts, pastries, breads and other baked items as well as introducing new and innovative recipes. With a staff force of 14, Syeriff and his team are responsible for the hotel’s F&B outlets such as the popular Cinnamon Coffee House, not forgetting the executive lounge and spacious convention centre.   

Syeriff’s love for baking cakes was what led him to specialise in pastry. With signature creations such as the delicious peanut butter tiramisu cake, he has exceeded the expectations of many One World Hotel guests. When asked what he thinks is unique about his cooking that makes his dishes stand out, he replied, “Let’s say you are making a mango pudding. You need to think about how special your mango pudding can be. For me, the mango pudding must have a tone, which consists of a ‘little bit bitter, a little bit sweet and a little bit sour’. What’s important is how unique the dish is.” Are there any difficult dishes to prepare? “Yes, because these days there are a lot of gastronomical innovations such as anti-griddle cooking, using minus temperatures. I’m just getting to know about these things and sooner or later I would have to prepare it.”

• Click here for our review of One World Hotel's halal Chinese restaurant Zuan Yuan and its new dim sum offerings

Does he have a life motto that he abides by? “I can say that my life motto is to take everything positively,” Syeriff said. He takes everything in positive strides and believes that adaptability is very important in this industry. “I know it is a cliché when people say be creative, but I really mean it, try to be as creative as you can. You have to be creative and unique because there is a lot of competition in the hotel industry. For example, if we were selling a chocolate fountain, other hotels would have a chocolate fountain too, so I play around with the flavouring. I could create a raspberry or mango chocolate fountain, it could be anything. In another three to four months another hotel could be having it, so we need to keep evolving,” he advises. Syeriff plans to build a name for himself in One World Hotel and become the youngest executive pastry chef. With his creativity and skills coupled with a positive attitude, there is no doubt that he will succeed in anything he puts his mind to.