Meet The Chef
ANTOINE RODRIGUEZ - EXECUTIVE CHEF
"Food is what brings people together and we strive to ensure the best is served."
When it comes to improving the efficiency of one of the most important and largest departments of a hotel, it takes a person with utmost experience. As Executive Chef of Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur, Antoine Rodriguez has been instrumental in keeping everything together and ensuring that consistent high quality food is served to guests and associates. However, it was his intelligence, knowledge and creativity that won the heart of the judges during the Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards Malaysia Series 2023 - 2024 and defeated other nominees to win the ‘Best Chef - Executive Chef of the Year - King of Kitchens'.
"It was an honour to defend this prestigious title again as I was competing against chefs with calibre and this was really unexpected", admits Executive Chef Antoine.
Born in Bordeaux, France, Antoine has gained his wealth of 40 years experience in culinary knowledge through his travels to Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Thailand, Africa and Turkey. As the hotel's Executive Chef, Antoine is responsible for the overall culinary operations of 12 kitchens, food conceptualization and promotions, menu planning and ensuring high quality service delivery standards of 110 kitchen professionals. He hopes to elevate Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur's restaurants to a new level. This celebrated chef derives satisfaction by constantly pushing the boundaries in the food arena and likening his food to architecture. His love for food started when he was assisting part-time in his friend's take-away restaurant whilst attending high school in France. After much encouragement from family and friends, Antoine enrolled himself to a hotel school and trained at the ‘Lycee Technique D'Hotellerie & Tourisme' in Bordeaux.
Antoine began his career in 1976 as Commis Seafood Chef in a French Restaurant. He later became ‘Chef in Charge of Operations' in the renowned Chateau Des Trois Poetes for over two years. In 1982, Antoine served in the Intercontinental Okoume Palace, Africa as Western Chef and gained valuable experience and knowledge after a one year stint in the French Army as ‘Private Chef of Commander'.
His first breakthrough came when he was employed as Executive Chef in Le Méridien Barbaron, Seychelles. Working in an exciting and motivating environment in which he could only flourish, and he did so, where he shared his expertise with other Le Méridien properties.
Antoine joined Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur as Executive Chef in year 2004, and his restaurants and banquet department has been flying high since. Accolades include "Most Outstanding Culinary Team 2005/2006' by Food Hotel Malaysia, "Best Asian Cuisine 2005/2006" by Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards, Overall winners of the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Black Box Challenge 2007, "Most Outstanding Hotel Team & Overall Champion" by Culinaire Malaysia 2007, and "Best 30 Restaurants - Fine Casual Dining" by Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards Malaysia Series 2023 - 2024.
When French-Spanish Antoine is not busy penning down recipes, he stretches for a game of golf that recently won him the "Low Net Championship" at the Palm Golf Resort. With a handicap of 13 presently, he aspires to become the next Tiger Woods! When he retires of course…
"It was an honour to defend this prestigious title again as I was competing against chefs with calibre and this was really unexpected", admits Executive Chef Antoine.
Born in Bordeaux, France, Antoine has gained his wealth of 40 years experience in culinary knowledge through his travels to Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Thailand, Africa and Turkey. As the hotel's Executive Chef, Antoine is responsible for the overall culinary operations of 12 kitchens, food conceptualization and promotions, menu planning and ensuring high quality service delivery standards of 110 kitchen professionals. He hopes to elevate Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur's restaurants to a new level. This celebrated chef derives satisfaction by constantly pushing the boundaries in the food arena and likening his food to architecture. His love for food started when he was assisting part-time in his friend's take-away restaurant whilst attending high school in France. After much encouragement from family and friends, Antoine enrolled himself to a hotel school and trained at the ‘Lycee Technique D'Hotellerie & Tourisme' in Bordeaux.
Antoine began his career in 1976 as Commis Seafood Chef in a French Restaurant. He later became ‘Chef in Charge of Operations' in the renowned Chateau Des Trois Poetes for over two years. In 1982, Antoine served in the Intercontinental Okoume Palace, Africa as Western Chef and gained valuable experience and knowledge after a one year stint in the French Army as ‘Private Chef of Commander'.
His first breakthrough came when he was employed as Executive Chef in Le Méridien Barbaron, Seychelles. Working in an exciting and motivating environment in which he could only flourish, and he did so, where he shared his expertise with other Le Méridien properties.
Antoine joined Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur as Executive Chef in year 2004, and his restaurants and banquet department has been flying high since. Accolades include "Most Outstanding Culinary Team 2005/2006' by Food Hotel Malaysia, "Best Asian Cuisine 2005/2006" by Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards, Overall winners of the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Black Box Challenge 2007, "Most Outstanding Hotel Team & Overall Champion" by Culinaire Malaysia 2007, and "Best 30 Restaurants - Fine Casual Dining" by Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards Malaysia Series 2023 - 2024.
When French-Spanish Antoine is not busy penning down recipes, he stretches for a game of golf that recently won him the "Low Net Championship" at the Palm Golf Resort. With a handicap of 13 presently, he aspires to become the next Tiger Woods! When he retires of course…