UK chef makes Malaysia's ‘Top 40 Under 40’ list

Norman Musa, Executive Chef of Ning restaurant in Manchester and Lotus Racing race chef, has been announced as one of 40 Malaysians under 40 years old who are poised for power and success.

Announced at a lavish awards dinner in Kuala Lumpur, Saturday, hosted by the Asian luxury magazine Prestige, Norman was the only chef to make the prestigious list for 2010.

Making the list of top influential young Malaysians is in recognition of his significant achievements over the last 18 months in becoming the UK's leading Malaysian chef with a mission to create a Malaysian food revolution in the UK.

Norman said, "This is big in Malaysia. I am overwhelmed and honoured to have made the list; I hope it will be inspirational for other young Malaysians from modest backgrounds like mine. This is just the start of something really big - we have ambitious plans at Ning for next year!"

It is the jewel in the crown of a defining year for Chef Norman. In 2010, he has clocked up numerous television appearances in Malaysia and the UK - including on Market Kitchen with celebrity Rachel Allen; a 12-race stint as Malaysian chef for the Lotus Racing Formula One team; and a series of book signing and cooking demonstration events, including at Taste of London and Selfridges in association with the Malaysia Kitchen campaign.

In so doing, he has met Rick Stein and partaken in filming for a TV series with Gordon Ramsay which will be screened in 2011. As a budding TV celebrity himself, he is in active discussions with TV producers in Malaysia and the UK for his own series.

His commitment to promoting Malaysian food is now extending to consultancy advice to would-be Malaysian restaurateurs and he plans to open a Ning restaurant in London later in 2011.

Ning restaurant is an independent and critically-acclaimed Malaysian restaurant in Manchester's Northern Quarter, co-owned by Norman Musa & Andy Spracklen.

For more information, visit: ningcatering.com