Months away before graduating, I was already thinking about the next step. The way I saw it there was two different paths I could take, get a job or help my dad with his business. I wasn’t sure that I could stand working a 9-5 corporate job. It didn’t help that I hated the job application process. The thoughts of sending out hundreds of tailored resume and competing with thousands of applicants based on a single piece of paper wasn’t appealing to me.
My father didn’t share the same sentiments. He insisted that his children should work and learn from other people for a few years before helping him so we could run the business better than he ever could. It made sense, but back then I thought he was already a great guy to learn from and I could help in someway given I had just finished a degree overseas.
Fast forward to now, I realised that my father was right. Working 9-5.30 from Monday to Friday taught me discipline that I’d probably never develop had I worked with him and his flexible schedule. I get to learn other ways of thinking and how to grow a service based business, after years of only listening to my father’s teachings. On top of that, going outside of my comfort zone and getting honest feedback weren’t hard because I’m not the owner’s kid and nobody’s afraid to tell me off.
Like I told you, my father’s a great guy to learn from.
Christmas Celebration 🎄
Although I grew up in a Christian family, Christmas wasn’t as festive as you’d expected. We didn’t have any special tradition besides going to church, no big family dinners or even a hint of Christmas decorations.
It’s a different story in the Western world. With snow as the backdrop, towering Christmas trees were everywhere. The lights mirror children’s eyes as they soak in the magic of the season, even the music’s jolly is outmatched by people’s excitement. I instantly fell in love with the vibes!
I’ve been planning to recreate that kind of atmosphere for Christmas, making up for all lost times during my childhood. This Christmas was the perfect time for it. I had to be away from my family again so I decided to host a small dinner with a few of my close friends here in Melbourne. The idea was to serve them with dishes that bring comfort but are also fancy enough to celebrate the season. Here’s what I came up with:
Appetiser one - Fruit Salad with Honey-Lemon Yoghurt dressing
I (and my guests) prefer fruits over desserts, so this was the perfect dish to balance out the rest of the meal. The dressing was fab!
Appetiser two - Indonesian Chicken Satay with Peanut Butter sauce
Juicy and flavourful grilled chicken paired with the thick and earthy peanut butter, drizzled with sweet soy sauce. Brought me right back to Indonesia.
Main dish one - Lobster Tail, Shrimp and Scallops with Garlic Butter sauce
The lobster tail? Super meaty. The shrimp? Crunchy. The scallop? Certified fresh. The humble garlic butter sauce elevates each meat even more.
Main dish two - Bossam: Boiled Pork with Kimchi and Chinese Cabbage wraps
The combination of tender, melt in your mouth pork belly and the spicy and sour kimchi, all wrapped in sweet and crunchy Chinese cabbage. *This one was cooked by my sister.
What was on your table?