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Kota Kinabalu: For Kian Kok Middle School student Gan Wei Ming, the kitchen became more than a place to learn cooking skills. Through the Chef Junior Programme, it became a classroom where he learned leadership, patience and the importance of serving others.

The student from its Culinary Arts Programme was one of the senior student mentors who guided primary school participants in preparing dishes for the 2026 Chef Junior Appreciation Banquet. 

His role went beyond demonstrating cooking techniques, accompanying younger students through every stage of preparation, from washing vegetables and cutting ingredients to cooking and presenting their dishes.

Gan, who prepared sweet and sour fish fillet for the banquet, said the experience gave him a deeper appreciation of the effort behind every meal.

“Through guiding the younger students from washing vegetables, cutting ingredients and cooking, I realised that preparing a dish requires a lot of effort and time. It also helped me understand how hard our parents work every day to prepare three meals for us,” he explained. 

He said the opportunity to mentor younger participants allowed him to develop skills beyond the kitchen, including communication, teamwork and patience.

The mentoring experience is part of Kian Kok Middle School’s “Big Hands, Little Hands” approach under the Chef Junior Programme, where secondary school Culinary Arts students guide younger participants throughout their learning journey.

For primary school student Wadaahiwana Shafwah Rajali from SJK(C) Chung Hwa Mesapol, the programme helped her understand the importance of teamwork and confidence.

She said preparing her dish, BBQ Chicken Char Siu Style, with her classmates taught her how to cooperate with others and develop patience during the cooking process.

“I learned how to work together with my classmates to complete a dish. I also learned that cooking requires patience and confidence,” she said. 

Another participant, Hayden Lim Yi Er from SJK(C) Chi Vun Entabuan Tenom, said the programme changed the way he viewed food and cooking.

Before joining the programme, he said she never considered how much effort was involved in preparing a meal. Through the experience, he learned that every dish represents a journey—from growing and harvesting ingredients to washing, cutting and cooking.

“Every step is filled with hard work and love,” he said, adding that the programme taught him to cherish food more and avoid wasting every grain of rice and every piece of vegetable.

Through the shared learning experience between senior and junior students, the Chef Junior Programme demonstrates how a kitchen can become a space where young people develop confidence, character and a greater appreciation for the people around them.