A life in kitchens, a world of travels, and the dream of creating a place of my own.
Last week, someone asked me a question that stayed with me.
"After all the places you've travelled, all the kitchens you've worked in, and everything you've experienced, what would your dream project be?"
It was a simple question, but one that brought together years of memories, places and ideas.
My answer was Rantau.
For much of my life, I've been fortunate to experience the world through food and hospitality. From the markets of Southeast Asia and the landscapes of Borneo to the neighbourhood restaurants of Europe and the coastal communities of the American South, every place has left something with me.
I've spent years working in kitchens, leading teams, learning traditions and discovering that the most memorable hospitality rarely comes from extravagance.
It comes from people.
A cook who shares a family recipe. A small restaurant where everyone seems to know one another. A guesthouse where someone remembers your name. A courtyard where an evening lasts longer than you intended.
These are the experiences I carry with me.
More than places I've visited
Somewhere along the journey, I began doing more than discovering places. I started creating experiences of my own.
My journey through Southeast Asia wasn't only about discovering places. In Galle, Sri Lanka, and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, I opened burger shops of my own. They were modest ventures, but each taught me something about building a business, working with people and creating a place where others could gather.
Those experiences stayed with me. They helped shape my understanding of what independent hospitality could be.
It wasn't a grand venture or a luxury restaurant. It was a little place where food brought people through the door, conversations happened naturally and the everyday rhythm of the neighbourhood became part of the experience.
Looking back, that little shop represents something important to me.
The satisfaction of building something from an idea. The challenges that come with opening your doors. And the simple pleasure of seeing people gather around something you've created.
My years in professional kitchens taught me discipline, craftsmanship and leadership. Experiences like Galle taught me something equally valuable: the character of a place comes from the people who bring it to life.
And somewhere along the way, I began wondering what it would look like to bring all these experiences together under one roof.
A word that stayed with me
Rantau is a Malay word associated with places beyond one's homeland. Its related word, merantau, describes the experience of venturing away from home in search of opportunity, experience and a life shaped by discovery.
Having lived and worked in Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia, the word carries a personal meaning for me.
It reminds me that travelling is not simply about seeing somewhere new. It's about the connections we make and the pieces of those places that become part of who we are.
The house I imagine
I envision Rantau as an intimate guesthouse with beautifully considered private rooms, each with its own bathroom.
Not a grand hotel. Not a conventional hostel.
A house with the comfort and thoughtful details of a boutique hotel, but the warmth and conviviality of somewhere much more personal.
At its heart would be The Blue Flamingo Room, a small neighbourhood restaurant where local ingredients and producers take centre stage, informed by the culinary influences I've gathered throughout my career.
And then there's Travessa, a courtyard for slowing down, sharing a drink and enjoying the kind of conversations that make an evening memorable.
I want Rantau to belong as much to its neighbours as to the travellers passing through.
A place that celebrates its surroundings rather than trying to transform them into something else.
A dream taking shape
Rantau is not a hotel that has already opened its doors.
We're still at the beginning, exploring locations, possibilities and the right partnerships to bring it to life.
But the philosophy is already there.
Buy from here. Teach young cooks. Waste intelligently. Tell the local story. Bring interesting people together.
Perhaps that's what all those years of travelling, cooking and building have been leading toward.
Not simply another restaurant or another hotel.
But a place where everything I've learned about food, people, culture and hospitality can finally come together.
Last week, someone asked me what my dream project would be.
Now I have a name for it.
Rantau GH.
Go far. Feel at home.
Discover the journey at rantauguesthouse.com.
This is the first entry in a continuing journal documenting the creation of Rantau GH.