Award-winning chef and social worker honoured at Berita Harian Achiever of the Year 2024 Awards

Singapore, 24 October 2024 – Berita Harian (BH), the flagship Malay language daily of SPH Media, has named Chef Akmal Anuar, Founder of White Rice Co. as BH’s Achiever of the Year (Anugerah Jauhari Berita Harian), and Co-founder of Project Hills, Zulayqha Zulkifli, as BH’s Young Achiever of the Year (Anugerah Jauhari Harapan Berita Harian).

Back for the 26th year, the annual awards recognise and celebrate the contributions of outstanding individuals in the Malay/Muslim community. The recipients received the awards from Guest-of-Honour Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health, at a ceremony held this evening at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore. 

The BH Achiever of the Year Award honours exemplary organisations or individuals aged 31 and above, who have made a significant impact in their field. This award was given to Chef Akmal Anuar, 42, a highly celebrated culinary talent who has made an indelible mark on the international fine dining scene and earned prestigious accolades with his unique approaches to modern cuisine. 

Chef Akmal’s journey into the culinary world began at an early age as his parents were hawkers. Without a formal culinary education, he broke into the fine dining world with sheer determination and passion. From his humble beginnings in Singapore to gaining international recognition, Chef Akmal’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and innovation.

His restaurant in Dubai, 11 Woodfire, has earned a Michelin Star within its first year. His two other restaurants, Goldfish Sushi & Yakitori  in Dubai and OTORO in Abu Dhabi are also given the Bib Gourmand recognition.  

Chef Akmal believes in giving back to society, and has dedicated his time to hosting free cooking classes in community centres whenever he is back in Singapore.

Chef Akmal said, “I am very thankful to be honoured Berita Harian’s Achiever of the Year. To be in my field and recognised for my success by the community is a blessing. It reinforces the belief that we should not give up on the things that we do, as it takes time and a lot of hard work in order for us to achieve success. I hope that I can continue to adapt and achieve greater success in the years to come and be an inspiration to the young.”

The BH Young Achiever of the Year Award recognises individuals aged 30 and below, with the passion to strive for success and contribute significantly to society. This year, this award was presented to Ms Zulayqha Zulkifli, 30, a tireless advocate for community empowerment and a social worker deeply committed to helping vulnerable families. Zulayqha has co-founded Project Hills, a ground-up initiative that provides support to low-income families with her brother. 

Having experienced the struggles of homelessness, her parents' divorce and living in a rental flat, Zulayqha witnessed first-hand the challenges many disadvantaged families face. Her personal experience has shaped her empathetic approach as a social worker and community leader. 

Project Hills has been instrumental in mobilising volunteers and providing essential services such as food distribution, emotional support, and advocacy for families living in rental flats. The impact of Project Hills is particularly evident during festive periods like Ramadan, where Zulayqha and her team ensure that their neighbours in need not only receive meals but also feel the warmth of community and inclusion. 

Ms Zulayqha said, “It is an honour to receive this award, which recognises my contributions and efforts to help the less advantaged in the society. This award validates my efforts and will encourage Project Hills and I to contribute even more in the future.”

Please see Annexes A and B for more information on the awards and winners. 

Mr Nazry Mokhtar, Editor of BH, said, “The recipients of the BH Achiever of the Year awards are role models who can inspire our youth and the Malay/Muslim community. With the support of REACH, BH has been organising monthly fireside chats with the award recipients so that they can share about their careers and life experiences with our youth. We hope that more youths will be able to benefit from such opportunities with our award recipients and be inspired to achieve greater success for themselves and the community.”

Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Co-Chair of BH Achiever of the Year 2024 judging panel said, “The award is awarded to Chef Akmal from the food and beverage industry, which is an industry that is different from that of the past recipients. This award shows that success should not be limited to specific industries, especially for the future that is unpredictable. I hope that his success will be of great inspiration to the community.’’ 

Jean Khong, General Manager, FairPrice Foundation said: "The Berita Harian Achiever of the Year awards commemorate and acknowledge those who have made a real difference in their community, and we are glad to be a part of the celebrations again in 2024. As a social enterprise, it means a great deal to FairPrice Group to have a partner in Berita Harian that shares our commitment to empowering Singaporeans with leading fulfilling lives."

The BH Achiever of the Year 2024 Awards is organised by BH, with support from FairPrice Group as its presenter, Royal Kings Group as its participating sponsor and OrangeTee as its partner.

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ANNEX A 

About Berita Harian Achiever of the Year Award 

Inaugurated in 1999, Berita Harian Achiever of the Year is an annual award ceremony organised by Berita Harian to celebrate Malay/Muslim individuals for their achievements in their chosen fields, be it education, business, arts and culture, sports or social work. The recipients embody perseverance and integrity, and are role models for the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore. 

The categories are: 

• Berita Harian Achiever of the Year Award (Anugerah Jauhari Berita Harian) that honours exemplary organisations or inspiring individuals aged 31 and above who have made significant impact in their fields.
  
• Berita Harian Young Achiever of the Year Award (Anugerah Jauhari Harapan Berita Harian) that honours exceptional individuals aged 30 and below, with the passion to strive for success and contribute significantly to society. 

Judging Panel 

The winners were selected by a judging panel, after being shortlisted from a public nomination from 22 July to 11 August 2024. This year’s judging panel includes: 

1. Mr Nazry Mokhtar, Editor, Berita Harian (Co-Chair) 
2. Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Kuwait (Co-Chair) 
3. Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar, Centre Director, Community Leadership and Social Innovation Centre (CLASIC)
4. Dr Norshahril Saat, Senior Fellow, Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute and Coordinator, Regional Social and Cultural Studies 
5. Mr Fazlur Rahman Kamsani, Board Member, Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore

ANNEX B

Berita Harian Achiever of the Year (Anugerah Jauhari) 2024: Chef Akmal Anuar

Growing up, Chef Akmal Anuar helped his parents at their nasi padang stall and that was where he had his first 'training' in the kitchen. He went on to pursue a culinary course in SHATEC, but did not graduate. However, he went on to have an illustrious career in the food and beverage industry, owning more than 10 restaurants in the Middle East, US, Europe and Singapore. 

In 2012, Iggy’s, a fine dining restaurant where Akmal was the head chef (2006-2013) of, was named ‘Asia’s Best Restaurant’ at the S.Pellegrino Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards. It also ranked 26th on the ‘World’s 50 Best Restaurants’ list, published by Best 50. He also founded White Rice Co., an F&B consultancy company with his wife, which now boasts six restaurants across the UAE and New York.

3Fils, a restaurant Akmal founded in Dubai in 2016, earned the World’s 50 Best Discovery award that year. In 2021, he opened Goldfish Sushi & Yakitori at Galleria Mall in the heart of Jumeirah.

By the end of 2022, he had opened the now-Michelin-starred international grill 11 Woodfire. In collaboration with the New York-based Altamarea Group, he opened 53 restaurants, voted ‘Best Restaurant in 2022’ by a top rated restaurant recommendation website The Infatuation. He also debuted modern Japanese concept OTORO in Abu Dhabi; Mavia, an upscale cafe in the Al Faya desert in Sharjah; and Chie Restaurant, a contemporary eatery in Sharjah. His restaurants, Goldfish Sushi & Yakitori in Dubai and OTORO in Abu Dhabi are also given the Bib Gourmand recognition.  

This year, he established Harummanis at Sultan Gate in Singapore. Akmal was also most recently featured in Forbes Middle East for his outstanding achievements.

Akmal contributes back to the community by dedicating his time to host free cooking classes in community centres.

Berita Harian Young Achiever of the Year (Anugerah Jauhari Harapan) 2024: Zulayqha Zulkifli

Zulayqha’s life took a challenging turn in 2010 when her mother left the family, leaving her and her three siblings – older brother Zulhaqem, younger sister Zulastri, and younger brother Zulfeqar behind. The children faced further hardships when friction with relatives led them to seek refuge at a void deck near her uncle’s house in 2012. They lived there for a few years while their father worked hard as a cleaner to support the family.

Despite her young age, Zulayqha stepped into the mothering role for her siblings. Her days were a constant juggle of responsibilities. Mornings were spent getting herself and her siblings ready for the day. She would study in school in the afternoons before heading to her cashier job in the evenings. After her shift ended, she would head back to the void deck to complete her homework or study, and be around for her siblings.  

Zulayqha received multiple academic awards in the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), which helped fund her studies and lift the financial burden on the family. After scoring straight As in her N-Level exams, she entered ITE, where she scored straight As again and was awarded the Howe Yoon Chong PSA Scholarship. In 2014, at NYP, she was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Scholarship to Encourage Upgrading (LKY-STEP) Award while studying for her diploma in Social Sciences (Social Work). She was also awarded The Straits Times Generation Grit Award in 2018. 

In 2019, Zulayqha completed her degree in social work at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. Driven by her personal experiences, she secured a job as a social worker at the Foundation of Rotary Clubs Singapore Family Service Centre, where she strives to support families facing similar challenges.