Tim Chew

Tim Chew Leading English-language business aviation, whisky, luxury lifestyle and hospitality website in South East Asia: http://timchew.net/

No AI content.
(1)

All real photos and videos. Company registration/ SSM: 201203212689 timchew.net is one of the longest-running English business aviation and luxury lifestyle websites in Southeast Asia. Content on this page is curated based on our personal experience to ensure that it is credible, trustworthy, unbiased, honest and does not oversell the product/ service. Brand owners can reach out to us at timchew@t

imchew.net

*Disclaimer

The owner(s) of this page is periodically compensated to provide opinions on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this page receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely our own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This page may contain content that might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified. The content and photos are property of the owner or used with permission from respective brands unless stated otherwise and may not be reproduced in any format for editorial/ commercial or other purposes without the written consent of the owner.

Weekend with the Toyota Malaysia Camry HEV - kicking off with a decadent and flavourful lunch at Jhol at The Met Corpora...
04/06/2026

Weekend with the Toyota Malaysia Camry HEV - kicking off with a decadent and flavourful lunch at Jhol at The Met Corporate Towers.

Chinese luxury is no longer asking for a seat at the table — it is pricing directly at the market and backing the propos...
26/05/2026

Chinese luxury is no longer asking for a seat at the table — it is pricing directly at the market and backing the proposition with warranties European brands rarely match.

The DENZA Malaysia B8, launched in Malaysia on May 21, starts from RM458,800 for the Dynamic 7-seater and RM518,800 for the Premium 6-seater.

What the B8 brings to the market:
— DMO Super Hybrid platform: 450 kW, 760 Nm, intelligent 4WD
— 115 km pure EV range / 1,040 km combined (NEDC)
— 120 kW DC fast charging: 30% to 80% in ~16 minutes
— DiSUS-P suspension: 140 mm height adjustment, 890 mm wading depth
— Devialet 18-speaker audio, standard on both variants
— 6-year vehicle warranty + 8-year battery and drive unit warranty
— 6 years of complimentary scheduled maintenance (worth RM10,000)

With over 300,000 cumulative orders worldwide and the D9 MPV already establishing DENZA's credentials in Malaysia, the B8 is the brand's boldest local statement yet — its first SUV, its first PHEV, and its most direct challenge to the established luxury order. The hardware makes a credible case.

Test drive it at DENZA Balakong | Glenmarie | KLCC | Penang

Tosca, the Italian restaurant at DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur , hosted an intimate media dinner recently, offering ...
20/05/2026

Tosca, the Italian restaurant at DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur , hosted an intimate media dinner recently, offering guests a structured journey through regional Italian cuisine, artisanal wines and the traditions underpinning them.

The evening opened with an interactive aperitivo session at the bar, where guests assembled their own spritz cocktails from a curated selection that included Campari, Limoncello and Aperol, alongside two Luxardo bitters — the Bianco and the herbaceous Verde. Set against the restaurant's poolside backdrop, the ritual served as a social prelude to the meal and an introduction to the evening's broader theme of Italian conviviality.

Chef Michael Sartor, a pizza specialist from Jesolo near Venice who trained at the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli, led guests through three distinct regional pizza styles. The menu traced a culinary arc from the Dolomite Mountains to the Adriatic Sea, drawing on flavours, ingredients and techniques rooted in Italy's northern traditions. Handmade pastas and signature mains followed, each course paired with wines from the Veneto region.

Rather than adhering to a conventional fine dining format, the experience was designed to be guided and conversational, encouraging guests to engage with the reasoning behind each dish and pairing. The approach aligned with a broader intent to communicate Italian culinary culture as much as the food itself.

The event was produced in collaboration with Robo, an Italian producer, and Molino Rachelli, a flour mill with over 120 years of heritage. Both partners contributed to the sourcing of key ingredients featured across the menu.

For DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur, the evening represented an extension of its Tosca dining programme — one that featured authentic regional Italian cuisine within Hilton's signature hospitality, warm and attentive, without sacrificing the informality that characterises the Italian table.

Airbus Defence showed up to Defence Services Asia 2026 in Kuala Lumpur with a clear message: Malaysia is a priority mark...
18/05/2026

Airbus Defence showed up to Defence Services Asia 2026 in Kuala Lumpur with a clear message: Malaysia is a priority market, and they're in it for the long haul.

With over 80 helicopters already in service with Malaysian national agencies and armed forces, four A400M military airlifters operated by the Royal Malaysian Air Force, and two MEASAT telecommunications satellites in orbit, the European aerospace giant's footprint here runs deep — and it is looking to expand further.

At DSA 2026, Airbus presented a wide-ranging portfolio tailored to Malaysia's evolving defence needs: the H225M for combat search and rescue, the NH90 for naval warfare missions, the Flexrotor tactical UAS for ISTAR operations, the A400M and C295 for fixed-wing airlift and maritime surveillance, and the Eurostar Neo satellite platform for military communications.

Beyond hardware, Airbus also highlighted its Subang-based Airbus Helicopters Malaysia facility — the region's helicopter MRO hub and completion centre — as a cornerstone of its long-term industrial commitment to the country.

The full news article is now live on my site (link in bio).

Photo credits: Airbus Defense, Andy Kho and my own

18/05/2026

BYD Malaysia media drive challenge 3: Hunting for traditional Penang snacks and food around the island!

They say that failure is the greatest teacher. But not everyone has a safety net and can afford to fail a few times. Wha...
08/05/2026

They say that failure is the greatest teacher. But not everyone has a safety net and can afford to fail a few times. What if we could learn from the experience and wisdom of those who came before us—the captains of industry—and avoid making those mistakes in the first place?

Our Leadership Lessons Revealed series is a platform for corporate leaders and entrepreneurs to share their insights. Together, we can advance positive business practices in Malaysia, enhance company culture, and make social media a place of wisdom and learning rather than just hard-sell advertisements.

In this episode, we sat down with William Lee of RCX Group before dinner at 90D. He has worked across enough industries and enough boardrooms to know what most brand experiences get wrong. 90D, the concept he co-founded with Kent Chua under RCX Group, is part of that answer. I have known him since 2008 (when I first started my career in traditional media), and last Sunday evening we got to sit down with him before dinner at 90D, and got him to share some of his wisdom and leadership lessons from his extensive experience.

He is a Malaysian brand strategist, marketer and entrepreneur with more than two decades of experience across luxury travel, hospitality, lifestyle branding, F&B, experiential marketing and regional business development. The group’s next project, Hanging Gardens, is currently in the works.

Below is an excerpt of the interview. Read the full interview on my website (link in comments).

Tim Chew: What are the most important skills a leader must have today?

Fluidity and adaptability. The environment changes too quickly for leaders to stay rigid. Markets shift, consumer behaviour changes, trends evolve, and teams themselves are different today. A strong leader needs to stay calm in uncertainty, make decisions quickly, and adjust without losing direction. I also think communication has become more important than ever. Teams can handle difficult situations if they understand the “why” behind decisions. Confusion usually creates more problems than the challenges themselves.

Tim Chew: How do you motivate and inspire your team during challenging times?

I think honesty matters most. During difficult periods, people can sense when something is being hidden or sugar-coated. I’d rather say things as they are, address the issue directly, and focus on what we can control together. At the same time, people need to know you genuinely care about them, not just the outcome. When your team feels supported and trusted, they’ll push through difficult moments with you. For me, motivation doesn’t come from speeches. It comes from consistency, transparency, and showing up for the team every day.

There are chefs who cook. And then there are chefs who lead.Chef Kazi Hassan belongs firmly in the second category — tho...
07/05/2026

There are chefs who cook. And then there are chefs who lead.

Chef Kazi Hassan belongs firmly in the second category — though his journey to get there is precisely what makes his story worth telling. In an industry that often defines its talent by what comes out of the kitchen, Kazi has spent the better part of two decades quietly, deliberately, expanding the definition of what a hospitality professional can and should be.

We first crossed paths early during his tenure at Hilton Kuala Lumpur, where he returned in 2020 as Executive Chef following earlier stints across Southeast Asia. The hospitality industry in Malaysia was facing its most challenging period with lengthy lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many hotels to innovate to survive.

Over media previews and unhurried conversations about food, service and the industry at large, what struck me most was not his technical command — though that was evident — but his curiosity. He asked questions. He held opinions. He spoke about hospitality the way academics speak about a discipline they love.

That instinct, it turns out, was not incidental. It was intentional.

Today, Kazi Hassan holds the title of Director of Food, Beverage and Culinary Operations at Hilton Singapore Orchard — Hilton’s flagship and largest property in Asia Pacific, a 1,080-room hotel that demands not just culinary excellence but commercial acuity, operational scale and genuine people leadership. It is, by any measure, one of the most consequential F&B roles in the region.

Below is an excerpt from my interview with Chef Kazi. Read the full interview on my site (link in the comments section).

Tim Chew: What are the most important skills a leader must have today?

Chef Kazi: Clarity, courage, and adaptability. The world is moving too fast for rigid leadership. Leaders must be able to make decisions with imperfect information, communicate clearly during uncertainty, and stay grounded in values while remaining commercially sharp. Emotional intelligence is not optional anymore—it’s a business skill.

Tim Chew: How do you motivate and inspire your team during challenging times?

Chef Kazi: By being present and honest. People don’t need motivational speeches during tough periods—they need clarity, fairness, and consistency. I make it a point to explain “why” decisions are made, what success looks like, and how each person matters in the bigger picture. When teams trust your intent, they will walk through fire with you.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of Chef Kazi Hassan in a personal capacity and do not represent the official position of Hilton Singapore Orchard or the Hilton Hotels & Resorts group. This feature was conducted as part of the Leadership Lessons Revealed 2026 editorial series on my website (link in bio).

Not everything at Defense Services Asia 2026 was about fi****ms, drones, missiles and armoured vehicles. The Bell Flight...
06/05/2026

Not everything at Defense Services Asia 2026 was about fi****ms, drones, missiles and armoured vehicles.

The Bell Flight lounge offered a quieter but equally substantive conversation — one about the rotary-wing platforms that underpin search-and-rescue, troop transport, border surveillance, and disaster response operations across the region.

Bell demonstration pilot Captain Sean Mah briefed us on two platforms that between them cover a wide spectrum of operational requirements.

The Bell 407 GXI addresses the light-single segment with an updated avionics suite and proven hot-and-high performance — the widest cabin door in its class and more than 100 cubic feet of flexible passenger space making it as practical for utility work as it is capable in a public safety role.

The Subaru Bell 412 EPX sits squarely in the medium utility category, where the demands are considerably heavier. Its spacious cabin can carry up to 14 passengers or substantial cargo loads, and can be reconfigured in minutes to support medevac, search and rescue, or command and control operations. The Bell and Subaru partnership on helicopter programmes stretches back to the 1960s, with the 412 family alone accumulating over seven million fleet hours — the kind of operational pedigree that carries real weight in defence procurement conversations.

Photos by Andy Kho

Had a good time at the media open day at WORQ Well, WORQ Coworking Space 's flagship location in KL Eco City. As Malaysi...
05/05/2026

Had a good time at the media open day at WORQ Well, WORQ Coworking Space 's flagship location in KL Eco City. As Malaysia's premier flexible workspace provider, WORQ champions a Space-as-a-Service model that empowers businesses and professionals to work seamlessly across highly accessible, transit-connected hubs (the direct LRT access is incredibly convenient).

​This flagship outlet successfully redefines the modern workplace by integrating productivity with wellness. Alongside comprehensive business infrastructure—including private offices, hot desks, fully equipped meeting rooms, phone booths, high-speed Wi-Fi, and printing services—WORQ Well offers an impressive suite of wellness amenities.

Members can access a full-sized swimming pool, napping pods, on-site massage services, a sauna, a steam room, a whirlpool bath, and complimentary refreshments. A truly amazing standard for the future of work.

Thanks for the corporate portrait photos and lucky draw prize! All the photos in this post are courtesy of WORQ.

Address

Tropicana Golf & Country Resort
Petaling Jaya
47410

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Tim Chew posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Tim Chew:

Shortcuts

Share

Category