Chef Kelvin Yeap is a Malaysian Chinese who started his culinary career in his early 20s. After completing two diploma programmes in hotel management, he specialised in both Food and Beverage and the Restaurant Trade.
Teaming up with Chef Salvatore Coco, the Italian chef from Shangri-La Hotel, Qingdao, Chef Kelvin Yeap presents elegant and classic Italian cuisine that’s full of new indulgences.
The Shangri-La Hotel's new executive chef in Zhongshan, brings outstanding experience in hospitality industries since working for 20 years in that trade. Starting as a waiter he worked and learned to cook at his mom's restaurant when he was 10 years old.
Soon Kelvin Yeap's talent was discovered and his name began to show up at lists of nominations for acknowledged sous chefs. He won his first gold medal for the Chaine des Rottissuer young commis in Malaysia and represented his country in the world competition in Austria. He was named "Best Young Chef in Malaysia" in 2000 and represented Malaysia at the MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge in Tokyo, winning first prize.
Chef Kelvin joined Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou from 2010 to 2012 and his first task was to re-position the hotel’s Italian restaurant, il Forno.
"I only work with products of good quality, I really don't want to cause foodborne disease." he says.
Kelvin Yeap's Management philosophies come down to take care of the staff and your supplier and to create multi skills training to improve new talents: "In the Shangri-La Hotels there are many talented chefs from Western cuisine to Asian cuisine, I am positive about improving my skills by learning from the best, so I can create new dishes."
Awards received
MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge 2002, First Runner Up, Kyoto, Japan 2002
MLA Black Box Culinary Challenge 2002, First Runner Up, Malaysia
Young Best Chef Award, 2000, Malaysia
Chaine Des Rottisseur 2000, Fourth Runner Up, Vienna, Austria 2000
Chaine Des Rottisseur 2000, First Runner Up, Malaysia
Best New Restaurant and Club 2003 Bangkok. Thailand
Best Restaurant and Bar 2006 and 2007 Shenzhen. China
Hotel of the year award 2009 within Shangri-la property
