Dheper Reshaa Teh's interest in pageantry began when she was just four. Her passion has won her Miss Teen International Malaysia at just 16 years old and brought her to two international-level pageants. Now the 19-year-old Penang-born is a Miss Teen Universe 2021 finalist. During RECESS, she shared with us how she made her dream a reality and the pressures of being in the pageant circle. 

The Recess Podcast brings you short interviews of how inspiring creators in Southeast Asia do it all. New episodes every Wednesday at 6PM. Hosted by Kessyl and SueLyn, content producer and editor at Good Foodie Media.

Pastel-nightmare Squid Game is likely to become Netflix’s biggest show of all time, according to the platform’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos. With a perfect critics' score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, Squid Game is a survival drama featuring 456 cash-strapped players who risk their lives to play six traditional South Korean children’s games. All to win a tempting prize of 45.6 billion won. Here’s the question: Are humans inherently good or evil?

The Recess Podcast brings you short interviews of how inspiring creators in Southeast Asia do it all. New episodes every Wednesday at 6PM. Hosted by Kessyl and SueLyn, content producer and editor at Good Foodie Media.

Melvin Poh, a former lawyer turned entrepreneur, is the founder of Empirics Asia, an open-access crowd publishing platform (think Wikipedia). During RECESS, Melvin walked us through HOW the open access knowledge sharing platform works and the challenges that come with vetting through thousands of articles submitted by "volunteer" editors. And of course, launching the world's FIRST podcast produced and run by artificial intelligence: How does it work?  

The Recess Podcast brings you short interviews of how inspiring creators in Southeast Asia do it all. New episodes every Wednesday at 6PM. Hosted by Kessyl and SueLyn, content producer and editor at Good Foodie Media.

Gēn 根 is the only restaurant in Penang, Malaysia ranked in the Top 100 list of Asia’s Best Restaurants 2021. Gēn 根 with its produce-driven concept is the brainchild of Chef Johnson, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate who has worked in countries like France, Australia and China. In this episode, Chef Johnson shared what it’s like to dine with an open mind, explore the treasure in cooking and the ever-evolving dining scene on the island.

“You want people who come into your restaurant to enjoy the good food, good service. They’re not coming to you for a lecture on how to eat or how to dine.” - Johnson Wong

Timestamps:

[01:44] - From Le Cordon Bleu Sydney to travelling the culinary world in Australia, Dubai, China and France

[04:09] - Coming home to Malaysia and starting his first fine dining restaurant in Penang

[10:14] - How Gen highlights neighbourhood produce and make them the star of the show

[12:15] - The relationship between the ingredient and its identity

[14:22] - The ever-evolving dining scene in Penang, Malaysia

[19:00] - “We are not here to lecture them on how-to-dine”

[20:50] - The inspiration behind “Pineapple, Soy Sauce, Red Chili Padi” Dessert

[23:30] - Being the only restaurant in Penang voted into the 51-100 list of Asia’s Best Restaurants 2021

[24:51] - Reality of being the head chef at a fine dining restaurant

[27:04] - Advice for aspiring chefs

Talitha Tan first burst into the music scene in 2016 with her hit single “Okay.” Since then, the Malaysian singer-songwriter has continued writing music while racking up new skills in powerlifting, racing and pole dancing. During RECESS, Talitha opened up about her experience with bulimia and how she stayed true to herself as an influencer in an increasingly pressured media industry. 

"Get your heart broken so you can write songs." - Talitha Tan

The Recess Podcast brings you short interviews of how inspiring creators in Southeast Asia do it all. New episodes every Wednesday at 6PM. Hosted by Kessyl and SueLyn, content producer and editor at Good Foodie Media.

Soon Ng is the founder and director of some of the most popular cafes in Johor Bahru, Malaysia - People & Places Cafe, ROUTINE by Soon and The FOUNDERS Cafe. He shared his vision behind the business and how they became THE destination for iconic celebrities like Jay Chou and the Royal Family of Johor. Soon also opens up about his testicular cancer journey and how that changed his way of life.

Timestamps:

[01:28] - From Melbourne to Malaysia: How Soon and his partners founded one of the most popular cafes in Johor, Malaysia

[04:33] - The cafe scene in Johor

[06:09] - What actually happened to People & Places Cafe

[08:40] - Community vs. Customers

[10:30] - How their cafe became THE destination for celebrities like Jay Chou and the Royal Family of Johor

[12:28] - How Soon decided to use his personal look as the business’ branding

[14:35] - Soon’s testicular cancer journey and how it changed his life

[20:50] - “Legacy happens when your life is threatened”

[22:21] - 3 key takeaways for those who are looking to venture into the cafe industry

A hair salon that doesn’t cut, colour or perm? That’s COCOdry, Malaysia's FIRST blowdry bar founded by Kim May Chee. During RECESS, Kim talked about how she set out to learn this unique concept in the United States, bring the vision to the Malaysian market and the challenges that come with starting her first business at 26 years old. 

The Recess Podcast brings you short interviews of how inspiring creators in Southeast Asia do it all. New episodes every Wednesday at 6PM. Hosted by Kessyl and SueLyn, content producer and editor at Good Foodie Media.

Anis Nabilah has hosted more than 50 TV cooking shows and is one of the most accomplished celebrity chefs in Malaysia. Being one of eight siblings, the kitchen is where she felt most connected with her family. In this episode, Chef Anis opened up about the challenges she faced as a young female chef in the TV industry and shared some dos and don’ts when it comes to cooking in the kitchen!

“Teach what you know and before you teach, make sure you learn.” - Anis Nabilah

Timestamps:

[02:08] - Anis’s kitchen memories with her mother

[04:47] - Earning the “chef” title in Malaysia

[08:06] - Culinary experience at Food Institute of Malaysia

[09:52] - How Anis landed her first show, Icip-Icip, that became the first Malaysian show to be aired on Asian Food Network

[14:14] - Her journey as a celebrity chef

[18:02] - Navigating through challenges as a young female chef on TV

[22:07] - Traditional TV vs. Online Content Creator

[26:11] - Anis’s favourite dish: Daging Salai Masak Lemak

[27:41] - Tips for beginner cooks: SMELL IT

[33:28] - New recipe book by Anis Nabilah

[35:13] - Advice for aspiring TV chefs

What started as doodles to “annoy” his girlfriend in their long-distance relationship, Malaysian comic creators Jason and Ymei have now gain more than 800,000 fans online. Their relationship comic strips are mostly based on real-life events, with a little dose of humour. Having published four books and worked with brands like Microsoft and Huawei, they’d like to believe that you can actually make money from a hobby!

The Recess Podcast brings you short interviews of how inspiring creators in Southeast Asia do it all. New episodes every Wednesday at 6PM. Hosted by Kessyl and SueLyn, content producer and editor at Good Foodie Media.

Chryseis Tan is an influential Malaysian heiress who’s fearlessly building her own food and beauty empire. As an investor in a series of startups and the founder of Curate Group, she shares her passion for elevating the dining scene in Malaysia and cultivating local talents.

“It’s quite fulfilling to know that people actually like the things you create.” - Chryseis Tan

Timestamps:

[01:52] - Chryseis’s childhood

[02:28] - How living in Japan taught her some life lessons

[03:52] - Why business?

[04:48] - How she founded Curate Group and developed its unique concept

[08:07] - Importance of diversifying Malaysia’s food culture

[10:37] - Creating new things and adapting to change

[12:26] - Overcoming the challenges in business

[14:30] - The Pandemic Lesson

[15:19] - “Staying home is driving me nuts”

[16:32] - Launching her new beauty brand, LUMI Beauty

[18:57] - Advice for starting out

[19:34] - What’s next for Chryseis?