Think your cooking is good enough to open a restaurant? Now’s your chance to prove it!

You know that moment when you’re at a café, you take one bite, and your brain goes:

“Eh, I can cook this better at home lah.”

Well well well. Lotus’s Malaysia heard you, and is inviting you to step up to the plate!

Yep, Lotus’s Malaysia is cooking up something big with Masak-Masak Ceria. This is their first-ever culinary competition, celebrating Malaysia’s colourful food culture and the talented people behind it, from seasoned chefs to passionate home cooks who make magic in their kitchens.

Happening 1 & 2 November 2025 at Lotus’s Ampang, this isn’t your usual “masak-masak” session – it’s a full-blown showdown featuring some of Malaysia’s most creative culinary minds, and this is how you can be part of it.

Two categories, one passion: Food

Whether you’re the chef de cuisine of your family or a professional in a hotel kitchen, there’s a category for you:

1. Young Chef Category (Ages 18–30)

If you’re a home cook, culinary student, or aspiring chef who’s been perfecting your sambal since the MCO days, this category has your name written all over it. To join, you’ll need to create a simple two-minute video, split into two parts. You’ll find the full guide here, but essentially, the video must contain:

• Part 1: Introduction: Here, you’ll talk a bit about yourself, and answer some questions regarding your culinary journey.
• Part 2: Presenting your dish. Make any dish of your choice, but make sure it shows off your skills, creativity, and personality.

Lotus’s Malaysia even dropped a few tips for your video. Most importantly, film the full cooking process from prep to plating in order to get the shots you need. While you need to keep your video short (max two minutes total), highlight some key scenes that demonstrate your technique, name a few ingredients, and ensure your plating is beautiful – because let’s be real, we eat with our eyes first.

You’re also encouraged to use everyday ingredients and basic kitchen tools, the kind you’d find in a normal home kitchen. The only thing you should be flexing is your skill, so no pre-made sauces or ready-cooked food allowed.

Now that you have your video, all you need to do fill a simple entry form here, and make sure to:

• Pick 2 out of 6 available competition categories to compete in.
• Upload your entry video
• Attach a shopping receipt from Lotus’s Malaysia (no minimum spend needed)
• Submit your entry by 17 October 2025.

2. Professional Category (Ages 25–40) 

If you’re a chef or cook that’s already in the HORECA (HOtel, REstaurant, and CAfé) industry, and you’ve got that confident wrist flick when plating sauce, this is your moment.

To join:

• You must be representing an establishment – this includes Food Service Hotel, Restaurant, Culinary Institutions, Airlines or Catering Organizations.
• Pick 2 out of 6 available competition categories to compete in.
• Fill in the simple entry form, attach your resume, and submit everything by 17 October 2025.

If selected, you’ll be notified and required to pay an entry fee of RM100 per category.

So, what’s up for grabs?

Masak-Masak Ceria is a celebration of Malaysia’s food heritage and creativity. Even the professional chefs will be using ingredients straight off Lotus’s shelves, proving that great cooking isn’t about fancy truffles or imported cheese, but about passion, imagination, and heart. Essentially, all the ingredients you need to create your own masterpiece are just a short trip to your nearest Lotus’s.

So, what’s at stake in this competition? Besides earning bragging rights, winners will take home RM3,000 worth of Lotus’s vouchers! Meanwhile, the top 3 winners from the Professional category will also receive the honour of representing Malaysia at the Thailand Ultimate Chef Challenge (TUCC) in Bangkok. You’ll also get recognition from some of the country’s most respected culinary legends, a serious flex for any chef’s résumé.

So if your sambal, curry, or fusion experiment has what it takes to impress the judges, now’s the time to shine. Grab your spatula, hit that record button, and masak your heart out!

Entries close on 17 October 2025, so hurry up and register right here: https://corp.lotuss.com.my/for-you/campaigns/lotusschefchallenge2025