GEORGE TOWN, Sept. 13 -- Before he was brining chicken and making coconut milk-laced romesco at Gilda Restaurant, Ahmad Soffian Salim was washing plates in restaurants more than 14 years ago.

It was almost an accidental career change for the mechanical engineering major who had initially worked in the engineering department at Malaysia Airlines planning aircraft maintenance and servicing.

Ahmad relocated to Melbourne, Australia with his wife, Aim Aris, back in 2012 when the latter was pursuing her postgraduate studies there.

Living in an area that was far from the airport, Ahmad sought out jobs near their home and ended up as a kitchen assistant washing dishes and pots in a restaurant.

"We lived in an area where one of the best cafes ...