At some point in our lives, we all find ourselves at a crossroads. While most of us crave stability and certainty, Basira Yeusuff is an adventure-hungry chef who finds comfort in the awkward and uncomfortable. From hosting pop-ups in Malaysia to opening a 28-diner restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, she lives her life by this motto: Rational YOLO. In this episode, we talked about making the right decisions in life, how Agak Agak Seoul is not your stereotypical Southeast Asian restaurant and did you know that lemongrass and fresh pandan is the caviar of South Korea?

“Rational YOLO: I think things through, but also to a certain extent I know that life is short.” - Basira Yeusuff

Timestamps:

0:00 - Narration: “You should always go into something with a healthy dose of fear.”

1:35 - Growing up as an introvert in a big family

2:58 - Cooking makes sense to me: A+B =C

3:59 - Learning the kitchen culture in Switzerland and Germany

5:15 - Running a one-woman show for Root Cellar

7:39 - Rational Yolo: “I like the uncertainty and being uncomfortable.”

9:21 - From a one-week stint in Seoul, South Korea to opening her own restaurant “Agak Agak Seoul”

18:17 - How to know if you’ve made the right decision at a crossroads

21:53 - Fighting Stereotypes: Bringing Malaysian culture to South Korea without bending over backwards

27:44 - Galangal, lemongrass and fresh pandan is the caviar of South Korea

30:52 - Basira’s favourite part about Korean culture: Humanity x Technology

31:49 - Advice: “Rational YOLO over the fear of rejection.”

34:06 - “Agak Agak is now on cruise control.”