KUCHING, June 21: From the quiet seaside town of Tawau in Sabah to the sunbaked sands of Botswana, one young man’s journey proves just how far passion and purpose can take you.
His name is Arafad, born and raised in Kampung Kurnia Jaya, a small village tucked within Tawau. His climb to the global stage began in a kitchen many of us know — Nando’s, the international chain famous for its scrumptious flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken.
For those who work there, Nando’s is more than just food. It is a place where people grow, find purpose, and turn everyday work into something meaningful.
Most of us do not particularly take note of who is behind the preparation of our food, especially in East Malaysia, where we are spoiled for choice and flavour.
But from kampungs to cities across Sabah and Sarawak, every community has its own way of preparing food that is rich in tradition, shaped by culture, and full of heart. Each dish reflects the people who made it.
It’s the same at Nando’s where there is a saying: “It’s the people that make the chicken.”
Just as each community adds its own flavour to the table, every meal at Nando’s is grilled with pride, passion, and a serious love for the grill. And when they say “serious”, they mean it – down to the last charred edge and juicy bite, everything about it has to meet the ‘Gold Standard’ of grilled chicken.
In fact, the brand takes it so seriously, there is an entire International Grillers’ Challenge dedicated to celebrating these unsung kitchen heroes and the skill it takes to make Gold Standard flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken.
In Malaysia, grillers battle it out at Regional and National levels, with the top scorers heading into the global spotlight.
Not just food, a platform for people
Nando’s believes that when you invest in your people and place care into growing their career, that is when food can go from good to great. Many of its team members—known as Nandocas—start as crew members and rise through the ranks thanks to hands-on training, mentorship, and internal promotions.
This is how one homegrown Nandocas, Arafad went from prepping ingredients to Mentor Griller in just three years.
His secret? Purpose.
“I want to be someone my child can look up to one day,” he shared.
That sense of purpose and passion took him all the way to Botswana, where he represented Malaysia in the 2024 International Grillers’ Challenge, competing against 29 of the best grillers from around the world.
For someone who started in a small coastal town of Tawau, it was a surreal moment, made even more special when he met Fernando Duarte and Robbie Brozin, the very founders of the brand he represents.
“When I see customers enjoying the chicken I grilled, I feel appreciated. That’s what keeps me going.”
Today, he is working his way toward Assistant Patrao (Assistant Restaurant Manager) while training the next batch of grillers as part of The People’s Griller campaign, where customers rate their chickens and the griller that made it. The winner of the campaign will get the chance to gain a fast-track pass straight to National Grillers Challenge.
Some might say, “isn’t it just chicken?”
But the Gold Standard is Nando’s way of making sure every chicken is flame-grilled to perfection – juicy, smoky, with just the right crackle of crispy skin and that unmistakable PERi-PERi flavour in every bite.
At Nando’s, it’s not just a meal. It’s a moment. From the sizzle on the grill to the name being called out — every detail is part of the experience. And it’s made by someone who genuinely cares.
As Arafad puts it: “I always imagine there’s someone excited for their food. So, I grill it like I would for my own family.”
From Tawau to the world – it’s not just chicken when it’s grilled with heart.
That’s a Nando’s Thing. – DayakDaily
